Rib and Muscle Injuries: Two More Players Out at FC Cologne - FC Cologne's injury crisis deepens ahead of critical Leipzig showdown
FC Cologne faces a growing injury crisis ahead of Sunday's Bundesliga clash with RB Leipzig. Multiple key players are ruled out, leaving the squad severely depleted. Both attackers and defenders are now missing from the lineup.
The defensive problems began earlier in the season when centre-back Timo Hübers suffered a serious knee injury in October. He remains sidelined long-term, along with Joel Schmied, who is also unavailable. Dominique Heintz, another centre-back, is currently the only fit option in his position. Rav van den Berg's suspension adds to the difficulties, while Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Luca Kilian are injured as well.
In attack, forward Linton Maina has been ruled out after breaking a rib. His absence could see Said El Mala return to the starting eleven. Meanwhile, left-back Alessio Castro-Montes is also unavailable due to a muscle injury.
With both Maina and Castro-Montes unlikely to feature, Cologne's options for Sunday's match are now extremely limited.
The team enters the game against Leipzig with a threadbare squad. Injuries to five centre-backs and key attackers leave few alternatives. Manager Steffen Baumgart will need to rely on fringe players or untested combinations to fill the gaps.
