This season, 1. FC Köln has always been ahead of Leverkusen in the table. Nevertheless, the Baumgart team does not go into the derby as favorites. Because Bayer seems to be on the mend.
Cologne/Leverkusen (dpa/lnw) - At the end of the year in their home stadium, 1. FC Köln expect Bayer Leverkusen to play in the Rhine derby on Wednesday (6.30 p.m. / Sky). But the anticipation of FC coach Steffen Baumgart is subdued. This is not only due to the last three Bundesliga games without a win and the European Cup, but above all to the personnel problems. "Our problem is not that the batteries are empty, but that we no longer have the breadth in the squad. We have to replace people who cannot be replaced in the long term," complained Baumgart. At Leverkusen, on the other hand, the form curve is improving under coach Xabi Alonso, and the Spaniard assured on Tuesday: "I've known the importance of this game since day one here."
Confidence gives Alonso the 5-0 win on Sunday against the dethroned leaders Union Berlin. "We did a lot of things right, we have to repeat that," said the 40-year-old. The motivation is high, his players have enough experience. Still, he warned, "We have to be willing to work and fight to win. We don't need tiki-taka without running for it."
Whether Patrik Schick (adductors), who missed out against Union at short notice, can play, will be decided on the day of the game. For Florian Wirtz, on the other hand, who tore his cruciate ligament against ex-club Cologne in March, the comeback is "still too early," said Alonso.
Although Cologne have been ahead of Leverkusen in the table on all previous matchdays, FC coach Baumgart does not see his team as the favorites: "We all expected Leverkusen to be somewhere else. We don't have to talk about the excellent quality they have. And you can see that the structures under the new coach are slowly taking hold."
Defender Timo Hübers (contusion) is not yet an option for the game against Bayer. Captain Jonas Hector is available again: "It looks like he could be in the squad. We'll decide tomorrow whether he'll play from the start," said Baumgart.
