**Cologne's chopping block at home** — Köln are missing five players and have been inconsistent lately, while Schalke smell blood after a recent win. 🔴

Köln sit in the middle of the table with mixed form (1W-2D-2L), but they've got the home crowd behind them. Schalke showed some grit with a victory against Austria Lustenau, though they're also dealing with injuries and stuttering form themselves.

Key storylines:

- **R. Ache** and Cologne's attack need to click at home to punish Schalke's makeshift defense
- **L. Karius** faces a busy afternoon in Schalke's goal — Cologne historically dominate this fixture (34 wins to 25)
- **J. Adamu** could be a threat on the counter if Cologne get careless in possession

Expected lineups:

- **1. FC Köln**: M. Schwäbe, G. Mensah, J. Simpson-Pusey, L. Lochoshvili, S. Sebulonsen, T. Krauß, Í. B. Jóhannesson, A. Castro-Montes, R. Ache
- **FC Schalke 04**: L. Karius, R. Gosens, H. Kuruçay, N. Katić, T. Becker, S. Tanaka, J. Bachmann, J. Adamu, K. Karaman

Prediction:

**Cologne 2–1 Schalke** — Home advantage and historical edge tip the scales, but don't expect a runaway; both teams are fragile right now.