2011/2012 Bundesliga Season, Match Day 27: 1. FC Köln v Borussia Dortmund [R]

2011/2012 Bundesliga Season, Match Day 27










1. FC Köln




Versus









Borussia Dortmund










Sunday, March 25, 2012, Rhein-Energie Stadion, Köln (Cologne) - Kickoff: 5:30 PM CET





Once again, on paper, this is a matchup Borussia Dortmund fans shouldn’t even be concerned with. Borussia Dortmund is leading the league with 59 points, while their hosts, 1. FC Köln (Cologne) sit in 13th place in the Bundesliga, 31 points behind Borussia Dortmund.



Borussia Dortmund comes into this match having not lost a match since December 6, 2011 to Olympique Marseille in the Champions’ League and having not lost a Bundesliga match since September 18, 2011 at Hannover. However, in the past three weeks, while still getting results, BVB’s overall execution and intensity has left questions with this writer about their overall desire and if some players haven’t “let up off the gas” thinking they already have the Bundesliga title won. But the main thing is, they’ve been able to get results.



On the other hand, 1. FC Köln comes into this match having won just one of their last six and just two of their last eleven Bundesliga matches. Their last Bundesliga victory was a 1-0 decision at home over fading Hertha BSC Berlin[/i] two weeks ago. Last weekend, Köln was hammered 4-1 at Hannover.



People will look at this and expect an easy BVB victory. No way. It is almost never easy for us in Köln. This team will be determined to do something against us not only because of the way we beat them in Köln last season (The Podolski/Sahin taunting incidents), but also because we hammered them 5-0 in Dortmund earlier this season.



There is a glorious history between these two clubs. They met for the 1963 German Title, with BVB taking the trophy by a 3-1 score.



There have been 43 matches between the two clubs at Köln. 1. FC Köln leads the series there with 22 victories, 10 draws and 11 BVB victories. However, Köln has only won two of the last ten meetings with Borussia Dortmund in Köln. Borussia Dortmund has won the last three meetings between the two clubs in Köln.



Everything points to another BVB victory. However, one of the great things about this game is this is when you get a surprise. I’m not going to predict a surprise here, but I will say I won’t actually be ‘surprised’ if we get one……

 

The projected lineups below are NOT OFFICIAL!






Projected 1. FC Köln Starting Lineup: Rensing - Brecko, Sereno, Geromel, Eichner - Clemens, Lanig (Pezzoni), Riether, Peszko - Podolski, Novakovic


Projected 1. FC Köln Substitutes: Varvodic - Andrézinho, Jemal, McKenna, Weiser, Petit, Roshi, Ishak, Chong Tese


Questionable For 1. FC Köln: Unknown


Out For 1. FC Köln: Jajalo (Rotsperre), Buchtmann (Adduktorenprobleme), Chihi (Aufbautraining), Uth (Schambeinentzündung)

​

Projected Borussia Dortmund Starting Lineup: Weidenfeller - Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer - Bender (Gündogan), Kehl - Kuba, Kagawa, Großkreutz - Lewandowski


Projected Borussia Dortmund Substitutes: Langerak - Löwe, Owomoyela, Santana, Leitner, Gündogan, da Silva, Perisic, Barrios

Questionable For Borussia Dortmund: None



Out For Borussia Dortmund: Götze (adductor problems), Koch (not match fit)






Referee: Felix Zwayer


A scene BVB fans hope to see again on Sunday: Zwayer books a Köln player
while Princess Poldi” barks her protestations….

Saturday’s match will be the 4th time 30-year old Felix Zwayer will call a Bundesliga match involving Borussia Dortmund. It will be his fifth time calling a BVB match overall. Zwayer called last season’s 3-0 victory over SC Freiburg. This season, Zwayer was in charge of BVB’s 2-0 home victory over 1. FC Nürnberg, the 1-1 draw at Kaiserslautern and 4-0 German Cup Quarter-Final victory at Holstein Kiel. Zwayer has been a Bundesliga referee since 2009 and has supervised 36 1st Bundesliga matches.

Sideline Assistants: Patrick Ittrich & Marcel Pelgrim
Fourth Official: Marcel Bartsch





Players Nearing Fifth Yellow Card Suspension: None
(Every 5th yellow card earned is a one-match suspension)




Spectator Status: Rhein-Energie Stadion is sold out (50,000).

 

That means nothing. Kehl rode the bench earlier this season despite being "captain."

Being captain doesn't mean you automatically play.

 

Remember, these projections are in no way official. This is just the opinion of the person who prepared this for the club's website.

I agree with you on Kehl. However, he seems to have Klopp's confidence right now.

Why? I have no idea.......

 

It seems everyone except Klopp believes this.

 

Maybe Barrios has his Chinese Rosetta Stone course on the bench? LOL!!

 

Our goal is to keep the points lead to where goal difference does not matter........

 

I just caught the Liga Total! highlights. Someone help me out here. Is it just me or have Gündogan and Kagawa developed an understanding with one another on the field similar to the one Sahin and Kagawa seemed to have in the first half of last season?

 

The club is being very careful with Götze.

From what I understand, he could play now if it were absolutely necessary.

However, I expect to see him back on the roster at Wolfsburg, if not next week against Stuttgart.