Predicted Borussia Dortmund lineup for FC Köln clash
By Tushar Bahl
Midfielders: Axel Witsel, Jude Bellingham, Julian Brandt
Fresh after scoring a late winner against Mainz, Axel Witsel will likely keep his place in the starting XI. The defensive midfielder will be looking to build on what was an encouraging performance on Wednesday.
Mahmoud Dahoud is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season on Wednesday. So we will see at least one change in Borussia Dortmund’s midfield. Marco Rose may look to replace Dahoud with a more defensive minded Emre Can or an attack minded Julian Brandt.
The latter was dropped from the starting XI after the 1-1 draw against Augsburg. But this could be a great opportunity for him to find his form again. Gio Reyna could be another option after he came off the bench and assisted the winning goal against Mainz. But it remains to be seen if he is ready to play from the start yet after his recent injury troubles.
Jude Bellingham had a clash of heads with Mainz 05’s Niklas Tauer on Wednesday and will undergo some tests before a decision can be made on his availability for the Köln game. But the likelihood is that he will be able to play from the start.