BVB U23 await 1. FC Köln II, positive home finish the aim | OneFootball

With 28 points from 15 matches, Borussia Dortmund II are actually playing a respectable second half of the season, although last weekend’s heavy 4-0 defeat in the little derby away to FC Schalke 04 has left a mark. On Sunday (kick-off: 5 p.m.), BVB’s U23 side will therefore have redemption on the agenda against 1. FC Köln’s reserve team on the penultimate matchday of the Regionalliga West.

“Against Schalke, we had the chance to become the best team of the second half of the season. Instead, we were lacking in many defensive aspects. Now it’s about giving everything we’ve got — defensively and offensively,” coach Daniel Rios demanded on the club website, calling for an improved performance from his players. Also in order to at least still finish third in the table and at the same time be the best reserve side behind Fortuna Köln and Rot-Weiß Oberhausen: “Our goal has to be to climb one more place.”

The opportunity to make amends will likely come with an almost unchanged squad, although Ismael Mansaray could return after a longer injury layoff. The fact that some of his players will face Real Madrid on Tuesday in the final of the Premier League International Cup as part of a mixed team with the U19s plays no role for Rios in his preparations for the Köln match: “It has no impact on my planning for Sunday. I’m not a fan of already mentally being in the final and taking it easy beforehand. You can’t just flip a switch, and you should stay in rhythm.”

Tony Reitz’s last home game?

Tony Reitz will certainly be especially motivated on Sunday. Not only because the BVB U23 captain has a history with Köln’s arch-rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach, but also because it will presumably be the central midfielder’s last home game in the black-and-yellow shirt.

Photo: IMAGO

Reitz, who arrived in Dortmund from the Lower Rhine region a year and a half ago, is on the verge of a move to the 2. Bundesliga and wants to secure one more win in his final home appearance at the Stadion Rote Erde.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.