Cologne’s coach Steffen Baumgart will rotate the squad for the DFB Cup match in Stuttgart on Wednesday. Goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe has already been guaranteed a start. Baumgart thinks the world of him.
1. FC Köln will definitely be without defender Rafael Czichos for their cup match against VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday evening. The veteran called off on Tuesday morning with stomach and intestinal complaints, and it was immediately clear that he would not be making the trip to the Baden-Württemberg capital.
Czichos would not have played anyway, coach Steffen Baumgart wants to rotate in the cup. He wants to tackle the task with the “freshest players”, but he left it open who that should be: “We often talk about a broad squad. This much he revealed: “I have already spoken to all the players concerned. Both with those who don’t play and with those who get the chance from the start.” Pros like Timo Hübers (central defence), Kingsley Schindler (right-back) or Louis Schaub (attacking midfield) are likely to get a chance from the start.
“He has developed very well and can always take the place should something happen. “
STEFFEN BAUMGART ON MARVIN SCHWÄBE
A deployment guarantee was already given to Marvin Schwäbe before the season, lined up behind Timo Horn in the league normal case. However, Baumgart thinks highly of Schwäbe: “He has developed very well and can always take the place should something happen.” In this respect, the coach sees him “not as a number two” but as a “competitor for Timo Horn, who has done very well.” Baumgart’s next sentence describes just how well, saying of the goalkeeper situation: “It’s getting tighter on sight. “
Second half against Leverkusen as a blueprint
I want it to be tight on the pitch too. The players know what their coach expects: “We have the opportunity to reach the next round. We will put everything into that.” The game against Leverkusen can be used as a blueprint: “We want to continue what we did well in the second half against Leverkusen. Every opponent offers spaces, and you have to find them. We’ll take the positives and the not-so-goods from the Leverkusen game with us.” Only with “high intensity” do we have a chance in Stuttgart, hence the rotation: “Firstly, we need freshness. Secondly, the guys playing tomorrow have earned it. “
