The Cologne Bundesliga team will play in the penultimate day of the group stage in the Czech Republic. A win against the bottom of the group Slovacko is actually a must. But FC will probably have to do without captain Hector.
October is the month when the burden of performing on the European stage seems to weigh particularly heavily on the shoulders of 1. FC Köln players. The month started well with a 3-2 win against Borussia Dortmund, but then got a sensitive crack with the 5-2 derby defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach, which was framed by two European Cup defeats against Partizan Belgrade.
Hector and Pedersen are out
The 3:2 against Augsburg gave the Rhinelanders some relief, before the next severe setback followed with the 0:5 in Mainz on the previous day. Compensation for this is to follow on Thursday (October 27th, 2022) in the Conference League, where the Bundesliga soccer club has to play at 1. FC Slovacko.
FC coach Steffen Baumgart will most likely have to do without captain Jonas Hector and Kristian Pedersen. Both players had to stop the final training session. “Got shit on your foot, got shit on your foot” said Baumgart at the press conference before the game on Wednesday evening.
Cologne won the first leg 4-2, although the Czechs were able to equalize with a double within three minutes after being 2-0 down. FC are therefore warned, especially since Slovacko drew level on points in the group with a 2-1 win in Nice and, like Cologne, is only four points behind leaders Belgrade.
From fourth place to group victory everything is still possible for both teams. Should Belgrade not win the parallel game in Nice, the decision on direct entry into the round of 16 will only be made on the last day of the game. That would still be within reach for FC if coach Steffen Baumgart’s team found their way back to success at Slovacko.
