Davie Selke celebrated his comeback for 1. FC Köln against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Another player is also about to return.
It would have been one of those oft-quoted stories that only football writes: Davie Selke came on as a substitute on Saturday at Borussia Park in the 75th minute for the first time since his injury at the beginning of January. However, the attacker was hardly involved in the game in the final quarter of an hour. Until the 90th minute.
Then Leart Pacarada won the ball on the left, penetrated the box and crossed towards the second post. Selke ran in at the perfect moment and pressed his forehead towards the expected ball. But shortly before, Gladbach’s Ko Itakura had hit the ball with the back of his head. The ball took a different trajectory and Selke missed the winning goal to make it 4:3.
Selke’s failure was an opportunity for others
The perfect comeback in the derby failed to materialize for the striker. For 1. FC Köln, Selke’s return is extremely important for the remaining games of the season in the relegation battle. Not only that Selke is still Cologne’s most successful goalscorer with his five goals. The return of the striker gives the Billy Goats even greater flexibility in their direction for the season finale.
In Selke’s absence, Schultz initially played without a classic striker at FC. Initially, Jan Thielmann was given preference on the nine, before Sargis Adamyan, who had already been dismissed as being eliminated, was given his chance to play as a striker in the last two games.
“Other players have come to the fore in recent weeks due to the many absences,” said Timo Schultz on Saturday, but was of course happy about the return of his striker. The coach also added: “After the international break, we have a few more alternatives in terms of personnel.”
Waldschmidt back on the pitch
One of them will be Luca Waldschmidt. The loan from VfL Wolfsburg has been missing since the final training session before Schultz’s first competitive game against 1. FC Heidenheim. In a duel with Justin Diehl that initially seemed harmless, Waldschmidt broke his fibula and was even dependent on crutches at times.
On Tuesday, just over eight weeks after his injury, the 27-year-old was back on the training pitch at Geißbockheim for the first time. The attacker has not yet been able to take part in team training again. However, Waldschmidt completed his first exercises with the ball together with rehabilitation trainer Leif Frach.
More competition in the hot final phase
The game on Friday evening against RB Leipzig comes far too early for Waldschmidt. On Monday, however, the Siegen native is scheduled to leave for the short training camp in Algorfa (Spain) with the Cologne team and will gradually be reintegrated into team training there. On the Costa Blanca, the FC also wants to commit to the final spurt in the relegation battle.
Justin Diehl (after a muscle injury) could also play again in Spain, and Jan Thielmann will have served his ban after the international break. The returnees, including Luca Waldschmidt, will really heat up the competition at FC again. Certainly not a disadvantage for FC in the final phase of the season. That’s why Timo Schultz says: “I’m very optimistic about it.”