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Europa Conference League
FT
1 - 2
(1 - 2)
FC Köln
Fehérvár
F. Dietz (14), J. Chabot (20)
B. Zivzivadze (32), P. Dárdai (40)

Baumgart commits to Dietz and Schwäbe against Fehérvár: "No rest rotations."

By Peter Weis   @PeterVicey

In addition to addressing transfer rumors at his Wednesday press conference, 1. FC Köln trainer Steffen Buamgart committed to using his "best XI" in Thursday night's UEFA Europa Conference League playoff leg.
Steffen Baumgart.
Steffen Baumgart.
Germany's Domstädter may be considered the clear favorites to earn a big home win tomorrow night in the first leg of their Conference League Playoff. Köln welcome Hungary's Fehérvár FC to the RheinEnergieStadion. The Hungarian side does play in its country's top footballing tier, yet hardly matches up with the Bundesligists in terms of quality.


With another league match against Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday, Thursday's match would presumably serve as an opportunity for Geißböcke gaffer Steffen Baumgart to rest some of his regulars. Speaking at a Wednesday presser during which he also addressed the questions about transfer rumors, Baumgart openly declared that he would not take advantage of this.

"There will be no changes in the interest of resting anyone," Baumgart made sure to emphasize, "We want to bring out the strongest XI and do all that we can to get the best result."

For Baumgart, this includes sticking with first-choice keeper Marvin Schwäbe. After the 27-year-old (along with several other Bundesliga keepers) committed an embarrassing error over the weekend in the last league round, reporters wished to know if former #1 Timo Horn might get a go instead.

Baumgart dismissed such talk by committing to Schwäbe. The Köln trainer also revealed that summer signing Steffen Tigges (after a long comeback from injury) would be in his matchday squad. The former Dortmund striker will nevertheless not start.

"He will be in the squad," Baumgart noted when asked about Tigges, "but he's not fit to start. Florian Dietz is ahead of him and has done well."


Baumgart's "best XI" may still feature some new players. Linton Maina made a good case for himself off the bench against Leipzig last weekend and Kingsley Schindler is once again fit. Baumgart has the full roster to draw upon, with the notable exception of Mark Uth.

Köln's Hungarian guests are actually coached by German trainer Michael Borris. Also at the presser, Florian Kainz warned against taking the opponent too lightly. Kainz noted that the team had been shown scout footage of Fehérvár and that the German hosts certainly had issues to guard against.


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