Preview: FC Koln vs. Borussia Monchengladbach - prediction, team news, lineups

Gladbach, meanwhile, have dropped into the bottom half of the table after failing to win any of their last four games.

Match preview

Steffen Baumgart's side's winless streak stretches back one match further than their forthcoming opponents' does, with the Billy Goats only collecting one point from their last five league games.

That draw impressively came away to high-flying Union Berlin, but Koln failed to score in defeats to Stuttgart, Wolfsburg and VfL Bochum, before being thumped 6-1 by league leaders Borussia Dortmund in their last match before the recent international break.

Baumgart will desperately be hoping that the domestic season being paused will provide fresh impetus for his players, who have looked bereft of ideas in recent weeks, culminating in them only being six points clear of relegation danger ahead of this weekend's return to action.

Realistically, two or three victories between now and the end of the season should ensure that Koln avoid finishing in the bottom three, but after finishing seventh in Baumgart's debut season last time out, the 51-year-old will be keen to ensure that his second one does not end with a whimper.

Gladbach, meanwhile, have proven to be an inconsistent outfit throughout Daniel Farke's debut season at the club, with the former Norwich City particularly struggling to implement positive results away from home.

Indeed, Die Fohlen have collected only four points from their last 10 league games on the road, losing eight of those away trips. As such, it is little surprise that their hopes of returning to compete in European football next season appear to be minimal.

Even Gladbach's previously stellar home form has deserted them in more recent times, drawing to Freiburg and Werder Bremen, with Mainz 05 moving six points clear of them within the lower reaches of the top half of the table.

Farke will be desperate to see his side's winless streak come to an end against a team struggling for positive results even more than his own when these two clubs meet at RheinEnergieStadion on Sunday, with his mid-term job status surely insecure at present.

FC Koln Bundesliga form:

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L

L

D

L

L

Borussia Monchengladbach Bundesliga form:

L

W

L

D

L

D

Team News

Despite the international break potentially coming at a good time for Koln, it was not long enough to help the likes of Jan Thielmann, Kristian Pedersen, Mark Uth and Sebastian Andersson return to first-team training following their length injuries.

However, the quartet should be available for selection later in April, but Florian Dietz will miss the rest of the campaign due to an ACL injury.

Having been thrashed 6-1 in their last match, Baumgart may make several changes from the heavy defeat at Westfalenstadion, with Eric Martel, Steffen Tigges and Linton Maina providing three solid options to come into the hosts' starting XI.

Gladbach, meanwhile, will travel without Tony Jantschke and Julian Weigl due to knee and ankle issues respectively, but otherwise Farke appears to have a clean bill of health at his disposal.

Alassane Plea could return to the visitors' attack having only been utilised from the bench during their 2-2 draw against Werder Bremen, with Jonas Omlin set to start in goal after returning from injury to start that match.

FC Koln possible starting lineup:

Schwabe; Schmitz, Hubers, Chabot, Hector; Martel, Skhiri; Maina, Ljubicic, Kainz; Selke

Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:

Omlin; Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Bensebaini; Kramer, Kone; Hofmann, Stindl, Plea; Thuram

We say: FC Koln 1-1 Borussia Monchengladbach

With both sides enduring difficult runs of form prior to the international break, it would be no surprise to see them share the spoils on Sunday, with both managers likely to be keen to avoid defeat in their first game back.

At this stage, Koln's main priority will be avoiding becoming embroiled in a relegation battle, with every point beneficial in that regard. Gladbach, meanwhile, must stop the rot away from home if they are to move forward under Farke's tutelage.

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