Cologne fights for the lead: Schalke as a guest in the sold -out stadium!

Cologne fights for the lead: Schalke as a guest in the sold -out stadium!

on Sunday, February 8, 2025, meet 1st FC Köln and FC Schalke 04 at 1:30 p.m. in the sold-out Rheinenergie Stadium. With almost 50,000 spectators, the stadium expects a full backdrop. While FC Köln is looking for the championship leadership from Hamburger SV, FC Schalke 04 urgently needs further points to protect the distance to the relegation places.

Schalke 04 comes to Cologne after a last disappointing 2: 5 defeat against 1. FC Magdeburg. The current distance to the relegation places is comfortable, but the pressure on the team is high. This makes the upcoming points all the more important.

travel preparations and security warnings

For the 5,000 Schalke fans traveling to Cologne, Deutsche Bahn uses a special relief train. This leaves at 9:16 a.m. in Gelsenkirchen and reaches Cologne at 10:16 a.m. The return trip is planned for 5:03 p.m. so that the fans will be back in Gelsenkirchen at 6:03 p.m.

The club tour of FC Schalke 04 has urged its followers to be careful with the jerseys and fan articles, especially in Cologne. The security situation requires special care in the areas of Zülpicher Platz, Barbarossaplatz, Rudolfsplatz and around Müngersdorf. There is a possibility that supporters of Borussia Dortmund, who have a home game on Saturday, travel to Cologne, which could also complicate the situation.

FC Köln on catch -up

FC Köln wants to take a step back towards Bundesliga return in the upcoming game. After the narrow defeat in the DFB Cup quarter-finals against Bayer Leverkusen, where Cologne was in the lead until the 96th minute, the focus is now on the league. Managing Director Christian Keller was optimistic and explained that the team could drive home with the head raised.

Currently FC Köln is in table place one and has stabilized its shape in the league. After a defeat against Hamburg SV, victories against SV Elversberg and Eintracht Braunschweig followed, which brought the club into a good position.

reinforcements and personnel challenges

To improve further, FC Köln has increased its squad strength during the winter transfer period by purchasing four external players. These newcomers include right -back Jusuf Gazibegovic by Sturm Graz, Joel Schmid from FC Sion and striker Imad Rondic from Widzew Lodz. At the same time there was a departure: goalkeeper Jonas Urbig moved to Bayern Munich, while Anthony Racioppi was loaned by Hull City.

For the match against Schalke, captain Timo Hüber will fail due to a yellow lock. Nevertheless, FC Köln brings important players, including Learst Paçarada, Eric Martel, Linton Maina, who has eight assists, and Damion Downs, who has already scored eight goals. Both players were also able to score a goal in the cup game against Leverkusen and show themselves in good shape.