1. FC Köln is hoping for Davie Selke’s comeback against Bayer Leverkusen. The attacker is fit again, but remains tight-lipped when it comes to questions about his future.
Davie Selke is back. Six weeks after his foot injury, the attacker resumed team training at 1. FC Köln. At the start of preparation for the home game against Bayer Leverkusen, the 29-year-old was completely involved with his teammates.
At least until shortly before the end, because during his colleagues’ final game, Selke made individual runs on the edge of the field. The FC striker, who is still the most successful FC striker this season with five goals, then announced the good news himself: “The foot is holding,” said a visibly satisfied Selke.
Selke more than “perfectly on schedule”
The striker was actually not expected to be back until after the international break at the end of March after his broken metatarsal. “I’m perfect or maybe even a little ahead of schedule. There were no setbacks. Now I’m happy to be back on the pitch,” explained Selke.
The Swabian gave a special thank you to the medical department: “Christian Osebold and Leif Frach did a good job. I was rebuilt well. That’s always a bit difficult when my foot is broken. That’s why I’m happy with how it went is.”
Selke was injured in the first game after the winter break. If the doctors hadn’t done a routine MRI scan, things could have been much worse. It is possible that if the treatment were incorrect or not treated at all, the foot would end up broken. By then at the latest, Selke would have been threatened with the end of the season.
With a double pack to become the youngest derby hero
However, there is now even hope that Selke can be part of the squad again on Sunday against Bayer Leverkusen. “It’s difficult for me to assess whether it’s enough for Leverkusen. So far the foot hasn’t shown any reaction. We’ll see what the decision is at the end of the week.”
The emotional attacker is particularly pleased that Selke could become an option again before the two derbies against Leverkusen and a week later against Gladbach. “I think that’s really good. Especially if I can be there from the start next week and be ready.”
The return is even more important for FC because Selke knows how to win a derby. Last season, the striker scored both goals for FC in the 2-1 win in Leverkusen – making him the youngest or reigning derby hero for Cologne.
Relegation is already firmly planned
As is well known, the grapes for FC and Selke are hanging high against the league leaders, who are still unbeaten this season. “Leverkusen is currently the best team in the league,” says the FC professional. “It will be ambitious, but we still want to win it. It’s a derby, we’re playing at home – we want to win. We can create a force with the fans behind us. That has to be our way.”
For FC, who are now eight points behind the saving bank, every point counts in this phase of the season. “We’re fighting to stay in the league. That’s my goal. I’m an optimist and don’t think about what could go wrong. I’m firmly convinced that we can do it and I’ve already planned in my plan for us to finish the season extend the relegation period.”
No contract talks about the second division
If, contrary to Selke’s expectations, the rescue does not succeed in the end, the attacker would be left without a contract. Along with Mark Uth, Selke is one of the players in the 1. FC Köln squad who do not have a valid contract for the second division. If FC plans to go to the second division with Selke and Selke also wants to do so, renegotiations would have to be made.
However, so far there have been no thoughts on this scenario on either side. “We haven’t talked about my contract since the contract extension,” said Selke. The striker currently has a different focus anyway – and that is to lead 1. FC Köln to stay in the league. Then there is no need for any contractual questions.