Köln’s season has not started well. Steffen Baumgart’s men were eliminated in the first round of the German Cup by a lower-ranked team, Jahn Regensburg, who got the better of them after penalty kicks a week ago. It was an unexpected elimination, as the Billy Goats had been playing good football in their two pre-season friendlies – seven goals in total against Kickers Offenbach and Nijmegen, as well as an honourable defeat against Italian champions AC Milan – and had continued their outstanding season’s performance.
Yes, because Cologne have been the big surprise of the Bundesliga 2021-22: fresh from a miraculous salvation achieved only in the play-offs, the Rhineland team even conquered Europe and this year, thanks to a sensational seventh place, they will be able to prove themselves in the Conference League. In a fortnight’ time, in fact, Modeste and his teammates will play for access to the group stage of the third continental event against the winner of the challenge between the Hungarian Fehervar and the Moldavian Petrocub Hincesti. At the RheinEnergieStadion, Baumgart and his team will welcome the newly promoted Schalke 04, who will return to the top flight after a year of purgatory.
The Gelsenkirchen club won the last edition of the Zweite Liga ahead of another ‘noble’ of Germany, Werder Bremen, who were also relegated the previous year. Schalke 04 did not confirm the promotion coach, Mike Buskens, preferring to rely on a more experienced coach like Frank Kramer. The roster is completely revolutionised from two seasons ago and the roaring success in the first round of the national cup against Bremer, overwhelmed 5-0, inspires confidence in view of the debut.
Frank Kramer ©️Ansafoto
The Prediction
The greater experience of Baumgart’s team should make the difference in this debut match. On Schalke 04’s impact with the new category there are several unknowns, even though they performed well in the cup. The hosts are likely to win at least a point in a match in which both teams will score at least one goal.
Cologne v Schalke 04 matchday squad
COLONIA (4-1-3-2): Schwäb; Schmitz, Kilian, Chabot, Hector; Skhiri; Maina, Ljubicic, Kainz; Modeste, Adamyan.
SCHALKE 04 (4-3-3): Schwolow; Brunner, Yoshida, Kaminski, Ouwejan; Krauß, Kral, Zalazar; Drexler, Polter, Mohr.
