René Wagner, the newly appointed interim head coach for 1. FC Köln, faces the immediate challenge of guiding his team out of the relegation zone as they visit Eintracht Frankfurt at Deutsche Bank Park on Sunday.
Following Bayer Leverkusen’s 6-3 triumph over Wolfsburg yesterday, Albert Riera’s Eintracht Frankfurt now find themselves 11 points adrift of a top-six position. With only 21 points still available this season, European qualification is increasingly challenging for Die Adler, despite having a game in hand. Their recent 3-1 loss to Mainz, featuring a brace from Paul Nebel, was a significant setback that dampened their European aspirations.
Riera’s squad faces several absences: goalkeeper Kauã Santos and defender Nnamdi Collins are out with knee and ankle injuries, respectively, while Rasmus Kristensen also remains sidelined. Jonathan Burkardt and Arnaud Kalimuendo are expected to form the two-man attacking partnership.
Köln will play their inaugural match under new head coach Wagner, widely recognized for his long tenure as Steffen Baumgart’s assistant in the Bundesliga. His predecessor, Lukas Kwasniok, concluded his time at the club with a 3-3 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach prior to the international break. With only seven fixtures remaining, The Billy Goats are precariously positioned, just two points above the relegation playoff spot and five clear of automatic relegation. This match against Eintracht coincides with St. Pauli’s game against Union Berlin, meaning both results could significantly impact Köln’s league standing.
Köln will be without Timo Hübers, Luca Kilian, and Joël Schmied. Additionally, Eric Martel is suspended. Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson and Tom Krauß are expected to anchor the midfield.
Predicted line-ups for the match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Köln
Eintracht Frankfurt: Zetterer – Amenda, R. Koch, Theate – Doan, Larsson, Brown – M. Götze, Uzun – Kalimuendo, Burkardt.
Köln: Schwäbe – Sebulonsen, van den Berg, Özkacar, Lund – Krauß, Jóhannesson – Thielmann, Kamiński, S. El Mala – Ache.
