1. FC Köln will play a friendly match against third-division side FC Viktoria Köln on Saturday, October 3. The fixture during the international break is a warm-up for the Bundesliga Rhine derby against Borussia Mönchengladbach on October 11 at the RheinEnergieSTADION.
The Billy Goats face a local rival in strong form. Viktoria Köln have won four of their last five matches, including a 4-1 victory over Preußen Münster and a 3-0 win against Standard Liège. 1. FC Köln, meanwhile, approach the game with mixed feelings. The Bundesliga starting XI from their last competitive match, a 2-1 defeat at Hamburger SV on September 19, featured goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe and a back four of Antonios Stafylidis, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Luka Lochoshvili and Gideon Mensah. Timo Krauß and Ellyes Skhiri operated in midfield, with Linton Maina and Maxi Moore on the wings, while Said El Mala and Thijs Dallinga led the attack.
The club's Bundesliga record highlights the need for match sharpness. Under manager Steffen Baumgart, the team sits 13th in the table with just four points from four games, having scored six and conceded nine. Their recent form of two wins, one draw and two defeats from the last five competitive matches has been inconsistent. After the test against Viktoria, the key home derby against bottom-placed Borussia Mönchengladbach awaits.
