Cologne vs. Borussia Dortmund: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog

Latest

Despite a run of three successive Bundesliga matches without scoring, Modeste's 15 goals have Cologne on the fringes of the European qualification places after 26 rounds of fixtures. The Billy Goats begin the weekend in seventh, only five points outside the top four. Victory away to third-in-the-table Bayer Leverkusen in the Rhine derby ended a run of two matches without a win, with substitute Kingsley Schindler the unlikely hero. The right winger scored within minutes of stepping off the bench at the BayArena, but is unavailable this weekend. Head coach Steffen Baumgart is also be without left-back and captain Jonas Hector and attacker Florian Kainz. Jannes Horn and Ondrej Duda are in line to deputise.

Dortmund head coach Marco Rose kept faith with the team that beat Arminia Bielefeld 1-0 in Wednesday's rearranged fixture at Mainz. The ploy paid off, though it was second-half substitute Gio Reyna who provided the assist for Axel Witsel's dramatic winner. Haaland also got a good half-hour under his belt, and could be used right from the off for only the second time this calendar year in the Cathedral City. Defenders Raphael Guerreiro and Mats Hummels could also have a part to play, but captain Marco Reus remains a doubt due to illness. A seventh win in nine Rückrunde matches would ensure Dortmund head into the March international break no more than four points behind leaders Bayern Munich, who host Union Berlin on Saturday.

Match stats

Modeste has scored braces immediately after each of the two occasions this term he has gone three or more games without hitting the back of the net.

Schindler's first Bundesliga goal was the ninth by a Cologne substitute this season.

The Billy Goats are yet to win or concede a penalty in 26 matches in 2021/22.

Haaland has 16 goals in 16 Bundesliga games this season, and four in three meetings with Cologne.

Reus has produced seven goals and seven assists in 15 appearances against Cologne.

There have been 36 goals in the previous nine meetings between the clubs on Cologne soil - that's an average of four per game, with each team scoring at least once.

Probable line-ups

Cologne: Schwäbe - Schmitz, Kilian, Hübers, J. Horn - Skhiri, Özcan - Thielmann, Duda, Uth - Modeste

Out: Hector (not included), Kainz (not included), Lemperle (ill), Ljubicic (ill), Schindler (personal reasons), Skhiri (thigh)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Steffen Baumgart

Dortmund: Kobel - Passlack, Can, Hummels (c), Guerreiro - Brandt, Witsel, Reyna - Hazard, Haaland, Malen

Out: Akanji (calf), Dahoud (suspended), Meunier (muscular), Morey (knee), Moukoko (hamstring), Schmelzer (knee), Tigges (ankle)

Doubtful: Bellingham (concussion), Reus (ill)

Coach: Marco Rose