Skip to main content

Borussia Dortmund vs FC Köln Preview: Classic Encounter, Key Battle, Team News & More

  • Author:
  • Publish date:

With Borussia Dortmund and FC Köln returning to Germany after suffering 3-1 defeats in London during their respective European campaigns, die Schwarzgelben and die Geißböcke will resume Bundesliga duties on Sunday where the two sides will meet at Dortmund's Westfallenstadion.

Peter Bosz saw a stuttering performance from his side last week, failing to win their first game of the new season at SC Freiburg's Schwarzwald-Stadion. In comparison, Peter Stöger is yet to see his side register a point this season, suffering defeats to Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hamburg, and Augsburg in the Bundesliga.

Here's everything you need to know about the game on Sunday.

Classic Encounter

59bc31ab2ee40f067b000001.jpg

The RheinEnergieStadion was the setting for Anthony Modeste, during his maiden season with FC Köln, to take his first steps in becoming known as the Fußball Got (football god) for the Billy Goats.

Borussia Dortmund visited Cologne in December 2015 and despite having had 69% of possession, it took just eight minutes at the end of the game to leave Thomas Tuchel, the then Dortmund manager, empty-handed.

Greek defender Sokratis opened the scoring for Borussia Dortmund after rising highest to meet Henrikh Mkhitaryan's corner, rifling the ball into a young Timo Horn's back post. FC Köln found their way back into the game in the 82nd minute of the game, Simon Zoller firing a left-footed shot past Roman Bürki.

Step up, Anthony Modeste. The French striker, having been introduced by Stöger as a second-half substitute, was unmarked in the penalty area after a Frederik Sørensen header found a way through the Dortmund backline. Notching his seventh of the campaign, the now-Tianjin Quanjian striker fired the ball low into Bürki's net to keep the three points at the RheinEnergieStadion.

Key Battle


Team News

Timo Horn vs Everyone!

Borussia Moenchengladbach v 1. FC Koeln - Bundesliga

Born and bred in Köln, 24-year-old stopper Timo Horn is one of the most exciting young goalkeepers in Europe.

Prior to a long-term injury last season, a muscle problem that saw Horn feature in just 20 Bundesliga matches, the former German U21 international was one of the best performing goalkeepers on the continent.

Leading up to the start of the 2017/18 Bundesliga season, Horn had conceded just 102 goals in 86 league matches. This season, Horn has already shipped seven goals, keeping just one clean sheet in a DFB-Pokal clash with fifth tier side Leher TS Bremerhaven.

Facing up against the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored 31 Bundesliga goals last season, as well as Christian Pulisic, Max Philipp, and Andriy Yarmolenko, FC Köln's No. 1 is set for a long 90 minutes of football.

59bc446a2b3a7ed295000008.jpg

The day I can write "Marco Reus returns from injury" will be a blessed one. Until then, however, I'll have to settle with Julian Weigl. Peter Bosz confirmed that the 22-year-old was back with the first team after completing 45 minutes of football for Dortmund's second team against SV Rödinghausen.

Prediction

Marc Bartra (adductor) is out of Sunday's clash with Köln, while Raphaël Guerreiro (ankle), Marcel Schmelzer (ankle), Erik Durm (hip), André Schürrle (muscle) and the aforementioned Reus (cruciate ligament) remain on the sidelines. Mario Götze is also a doubt, Bosz confirming that he wouldn't know of the 25-year-old's availability until late on Friday.

For FC Köln, left-back Jonas Hector (ligament tear) will join Latvian striker Artjoms Rudnevs (ill) on the injury list after sustaining a knock in their Europa League clash with Arsenal in mid-week.

Potential Borussia Dortmund Lineup: Bürki, Piszczek, Sokratis, Toprak, Toljan, Sahin, Dahoud, Castro, Pulisic, Yarmolenko, Aubameyang.


Potential FC Köln Lineup: T. Horn, Olkowski, Meré, Sørensen, J. Horn, Lehmann, Höger, Jojic, Risse, Bittencourt, Córdoba.

59bc4bc4d915b2558e000001.jpg

The only thing from preventing Dortmund from ending the weekend at the summit of the Bundesliga table will be if TSG Hoffenheim can thrash Hertha Berlin on Sunday.

Peter Bosz looks set to inflict even more damage onto FC Köln this weekend, with three points nailed on for die Schwarzgelben.

Although Köln can hold their heads high after an impressive first-half display against Arsenal on Thursday, they are sat at the bottom of the Bundesliga table and look lost without Anthony Modeste's goals.


Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 3-0 FC Köln