Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Cologne: probable teams, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Sommer's performed countless heroics this season - not least his Bundesliga record 19 saves in the 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich on Matchday 4 - but the Gladbach guardian's force field was broken to pieces last weekend. The Foals shipped four first-half goals as part of a heavy 5-1 loss to promoted Werder Bremen, falling to ninth in the standings as a result. "Better to lose 5-1 in one game than lose 1-0 five times in a row," remarked Daniel Farke after overseeing only his second defeat as Gladbach head coach. Such pragmatism suggests the 45-year-old - who will be on the touchline after a brief spell in isolation - won't make any snap decisions on the personnel front. French forward Alassane Plea was on the bench against Werder after two matches out through injury, but has captain Lars Stindl blocking his route back into the first team. Central defender Ko Itakura and midfielder Florian Neuhaus remain on the sidelines.

Cologne make the short hop to Mönchengladbach buoyed by a stirring comeback win at home to Borussia Dortmund. The Billy Goats trailed 1-0 at half-time, but scored three second-half goals to turn the contest on its head. With three victories, four draws and only one defeat so far in 2022/23, Steffen Baumgart's side are one point and two places better off than their regional rivals, and could climb into the top four if results go their way. Baumgart made wholesale changes for Thursday's UEFA Europa Conference League meeting at home to Partizan Belgrade, with Jonas Hector, Timo Hübers, Ellyes Skhiri and Steffen Tigges - the latter on target against former club Dortmund - among the seven players rotated out of the starting line-up. All are expected to return for the derby, with Mark Uth a further option after featuring in midweek for only the second time this term.

Match stats

Ahead of Matchday 9, Sommer (48) is second to only Bochum's Manuel Riemann (49) for most saves.

Marcus Thuram has four goals this season, and ranks third league wide for goal attempts (30).

However, Gladbach have squadered a league-high 21 'big chances' after eight rounds of fixtures.

Florian Kainz has had a direct hand in half of Cologne's 14 goals (three of his own, four assists).

Cologne have won the previous three Rhine derbies in a row. They last won four on the spin in the early 1980s.

The Billy Goats have come from behind to get a positive result in a league-leading five games so far this term.

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Probable teams

Gladbach: Sommer - Scally, Friedrich, Elvedi, Bensebaini - Kone, Weigl, Kramer - Hofmann, Thuram, Stindl (c)

Out: Itakura (knee), Neuhaus (knee), Wolf (shoulder)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Daniel Farke

Cologne: Schwäbe - Schmitz, Kilian, Hübers, Hector (c) - Skhiri, Ljubicic - Maina, Duda, Kainz - Tigges

Out: Andersson (knee), Chabot (ankle), Horn (muscular), Limnios (knee), Olesen (ankle), Thielmann (ill)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Steffen Baumgart

About the clubs 1. FC Köln

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