After dispatching defending German Cup champions Borussia Dortmund in the last 16, Bayern Munich will face cup surprise Paderborn in the quarterfinals. Elsewhere, Frankfurt and Mainz will face off in a Rhine-Main derby.
However, the Bavarian giants got a big break in Sunday's German Cup quarterfinal draw, which took place at the German football museum in Dortmund. Bayern got paired with Paderborn, the only non-Bundesliga club left in the competition.
Paderborn, who play in the third tier of the German football league set-up, has been the surprise team in the German Cup. They have overcome the odds to defeat three second division sides — St. Pauli, Bochum and Ingolstadt — to reach the quarterfinals.
But Paderborn hasn't defeated a Bundesliga side in the German Cup in more than a decade — they shocked Hamburg in the first round of the 2004-05 iteration. Conversely, Bayern Munich haven't lost to a non-first-division side in the German Cup since losing to Aachen in 2003-04 cup quarterfinals.
Regional showcase in Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt and Mainz, whose stadiums are located about 35 kilometers (about 22 miles) away from each other, will face off for just the second time ever in the German Cup.
Frankfurt beat Mainz 1-0 in the second round of the 1987-88 cup — Reinhold Jessl scored eight minutes into extra time to help his side avoid an upset. That began the three-decade Rhine-Main derby, named after the Frankfurt metropolitan region in western Germany in which both cities preside.
Leverkusen will host Werder Bremen, a team they have not defeated in the German Cup in six tries. Schalke and Wolfsburg will square off in the other quarterfinal.
German Cup: Last 16 results
Bayern Munich knocked out holders Borussia Dortmund, with Bayer Leverkusen also going through courtesy of another Leon Bailey goal. There were also wins for Werder Bremen and Frankfurt in the last 16 of the German Cup.
Image: imago/J. Huebner
Mönchengladbach 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Another strike by Leon Bailey proved the difference for Bayer Leverkusen, who march into the last eight and will fancy themselves to go all the way this year. Bailey has been Leverkusen's key man in recent weeks and this ice cold finish in the 71st minute settled a close game at Borussia-Park.
Image: imago/J. Huebner
Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
Thomas Müller's exquisite finish gave Bayern a commanding two-goal lead after Jerome Boateng's header had put the hosts ahead. Dortmund hit back through a Andriy Yarmolenko header in the 77th minute, but it was too little too late as Bayern held on for a win that sent the holders packing.
Image: Reuters/M. Rehle
Werder Bremen 3-2 Freiburg
Freiburg protest the awarding of Bremen's third goal, which should have been disallowed after an offside and a foul in the build-up. That strike by Philipp Bargfrede proved the winner after earlier goals by Ishak Belfodil and Florian Kainz had seen the hosts race into a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes, before Freiburg's Nils Petersen and Yoric Ravet pegged them back.
Image: Reuters/M. Mac Matzen
Heidenheim 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
After a goalless 90 minutes, this game exploded into life in extra time. Frankfurt took the lead through Mijat Gacinovic in the 95th minute, but Heidenheim weren't going down without a fight and levelled the contest a minute later through Marc Schnatterer, but the winning goal came courtesy of Frenchman Sébastien Haller, who slotted home from close range.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Scheuber
Schalke 1-0 Cologne
Schalke's excellent season continues. Not only do they end 2017 second in the Bundesliga, but are into the quarter finals of the German Cup. They were made to work for their victory over Cologne, but it eventually came courtesy of Max Meyer's 64th minute header, which looped over the helpless Timo Horn in the Cologne goal. Schalke are aiming to win the competiton for the first time since 2011.
Image: Reuters/W. Rattay
Paderborn 1-0 Ingolstadt
Ben Zolinski was the hero for Paderborn as the third tier club saw off Ingolstadt to reach the quarter finals of the German Cup. Zolinski's 56th minute strike into the roof of the net settled the tie to ensure that the club who almost sunk into Germany's Regionalliga at the end of last season continue their magical run to the last eight.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/S. Franklin
Nürnberg 0-2 Wolfsburg (AET)
Felix Uduokhai scores the first of Wolfsburg's two extra time goals which sent Martin Schmidt's side into the last eight. Mario Gomez and substitute Divock Origi had each hit the post in normal time, but Nürnberg's resistence was finally broken in the 97th minute. Daniel Didavi added a second late on as Wolfsburg look to win the crown they won in 2015.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/S. Widmann
Mainz 3-1 Stuttgart
Mainz scored three second half goals to come from behind to beat Stuttgart. Christian Gentner had put Stuttgart's noses in front shortly before the break, but Mainz came out strongly in the second half. Emil Berggreen drew the hosts level before a key strike from Abdou Diallo put Mainz in front. Suat Serdar made it three in stoppage time to put the icing on the cake.
