FC Schalke 04 go to 1. FC Köln on Saturday with four first-team absences hanging over the trip and Miron Muslić already warning that Maximilian Wöber may not play again this calendar year. Schalke must do without Moussa Sylla, Kenan Karaman, Ron Schallenberg and Wöber for the 15:30 kickoff at RheinEnergieStadion.
Muslić's latest update
Speaking to SPORT1, Muslić said: "It may be that Maxi will no longer be available to us in this calendar year." That is the clearest sign yet that Wöber's spell out may go beyond the immediate trip to Köln.
The setback matters because Wöber has already made six league appearances this season, while Sylla has four, Karaman five and Schallenberg three. Bryan Lasme could be in the squad again for the first time this season after his muscle injury, which at least gives Schalke one possible return option.
Köln's home edge
Köln have not lost at RheinEnergieStadion this term, with two wins and one draw, and they sit 12th with 7 points. Schalke are 15th with 5 points and have scored only four league goals, the fewest of any Bundesliga side.
That leaves Muslić with a thin attacking pool and little margin for error in a fixture that already looks awkward for the visitors. The story on Saturday is not a tactical puzzle, it is how much Schalke can cover before the squad begins to look stretched.
The match between 1. FC Köln and FC Schalke 04 kicks off at 15:30 on Saturday.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
