By Peter Weis@PeterVicey

Köln confirm loss of both Kilian and Pedersen for around six weeks

As they prepare to try and reverse a downward trend that saw them go winless in five matches on-the-trot and drop their final three league fixtures before the World Cup break, 1. FC Köln are unfortunately headed into the resumption of league play down a pair of defenders. 
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    Defenders Luca Kilian and Kristian Pedersen both incurred injuries yesterday in 1. FC Köln's final test fixture of the World Cup break yesterday. The cathedral city side confirmed that the duo have muscular issues that will potentially sideline them for up to six weeks. Not unlike last year around this time, the Domstädter must resume play with a severely depleted defensive corps.

    In Kilian, head-coach Steffen Baumgart loses a center-halve he used as a starter in 13 of the 15 completed Bundesliga rounds. Pedersen is the only natural left-back on the roster apart from captain Jonas Hector. The Dane made 13 appearances for the Effzeh across all competitions.

    Baumgart emphasized that there were no plans to bring in more defenders.

    "Now let's hope that no other central defender gets injured," Baumgart noted in a club statement, "Otherwise our squad will absorb it. These are things you can't prevent. This is already quite annoying for us."

    With Kilian out, Julian Chabot and Timo Hübers will likely start in central defense when Köln face Bremen in next Saturday evening's "Top-Spiel". Midfield linchpin Ellyes Skhiri actually filled in as a CB in yesterday's test fixture, but a such a deployment in a league match counts as unlikely.

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