1. FC Köln may have to make do without Dejan Ljubicic and Linton Maina on Friday evening. Davie Selke could possibly even play from the start.
Are they playing – or not? Linton Maina (left) and Dejan Ljubicic. IMAGO/Herbert Bucco
Due to the injuries to Justin Diehl, Luca Waldschmidt and Mark Uth as well as Jan Thielmann’s red card suspension, the personnel situation in Cologne’s offensive isn’t exactly rosy anyway, and now coach Timo Schultz had two more potentially impending failures on Wednesday. “Unfortunately two players weren’t in training today,” said the coach at the press conference before the home game against RB Leipzig (Friday, 8:30 p.m., LIVE! on kicker). “Dejan Ljubicic and Linton Maina have signed off sick.”
Schultz didn’t say exactly what was bothering the two players – and didn’t want to make a prediction about their suitability for action on Friday evening. “We have to see if they will be back in training tomorrow,” he said simply. Maina recently played from the start in the 3-3 draw in Mönchengladbach, Ljubicic would probably return to the formation after serving a yellow card suspension – if he is fit.
Selke “makes a very good impression”
At least in the center of the attack, Schultz now has an alternative back. Davie Selke, who injured his foot in January, is apparently a serious alternative for the starting eleven against Leipzig for the first time. In any case, Schultz answered a corresponding question in the affirmative at the press conference. “Davie is fully integrated into training, he’s doing everything without any problems,” he said about the attacker’s fitness level. “He’s missing six weeks of training so I don’t think we can talk about 90 minutes, but he’s further along than he was last week.”
In Mönchengladbach, Selke came on as a substitute in the 75th minute, and there is now much to suggest that the striker will be playing for a longer period of time. Even from the beginning? “I’ll discuss with him personally tomorrow to what extent that makes sense,” announced Schultz, but at least gives hope: “He’s making a very good impression at the moment.”
So the question remains as to who will fill the second wing position should Maina actually be unavailable. Damion Downs also recently submitted a letter of application with his equalizer in the Rhenish derby. Schultz made it clear that he “actually clearly sees the 19-year-old as a center forward” because of his physique, but that he still wanted to use him on the wing initially. “This is a good position for the first steps in the professional field,” said the coach. “And he has the speed for it.”
2024-03-13 16:22:00
#Köln #Maina #Ljubicic #questionable #Leipzig
