Köln Faces Defensive Challenges with Key Injuries

1. FC Köln, newly promoted to the Bundesliga, is facing a challenging situation with its defense. The club has confirmed that central defender Joël Schmied will be sidelined for several weeks due to a muscle tear revealed by an MRI on Sunday. This injury comes as a further blow to the team, which is already without former captain Tim Hübers for the long term. Schmied has been a crucial player for Köln, participating in all 11 league matches this season, starting in nine.

Schmied’s injury marks him as the fourth center-back to be unavailable for the team this season. Both Hübers and Luca Kilian may not see any action during the current campaign, while summer signing Rav van den Berg has struggled with a shoulder injury and has not appeared since matchday three.

On a positive note, head coach Lukas Kwasniok may soon have van den Berg back in the lineup on a consistent basis. The former Middlesbrough defender recently played for the Dutch U21 team and is now training regularly with FC Köln.

Additionally, former Germany U21 captain Eric Martel, who typically plays as a defensive midfielder, has stepped up admirably to fill the gaps in the defense. Veteran Dominique Heintz and Cenk Özkacar, a summer acquisition on loan from Valencia who has seen limited playing time, are also available to support the team during this challenging period.