FC Köln before the last game of the year: On the way to the autumn championship!

FC Köln before the last game of the year: On the way to the autumn championship!

On Sunday, the 1. FC Köln has the chance to celebrate the autumn championship by getting a point against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. After the defeat of the SV Elversberg and Paderborn's mistake on Friday, FC could jump to the top of the table, but coach Gerhard Struber faces a challenge: the defense must be rebuilt due to failures and locks. The team did not even bring the central defender Julian Pauli, who was originally operational, while Dominique Heintz is closed. In view of a tense personnel situation, Struber could be forced to switch the tactic from a triple to a chain of four. So far, only two central defenders have been available to him, Timo Hüber and Elias Bakatukanda, which makes the switch to the chain of four appear as possible, as well as the Onefootball reported.

Eric Martel's key role

In the middle of these uncertainties, Eric Martel has become a key person for the team. After the cup round of 16, Martel, who performed in three different positions, was recognized as "Man of the Match". His trainer, Gerhard Struber, praised Martel's importance for the team: "He goes in between everywhere and mostly denies his duels in a way that triggers a bit even with the opponent." Martel has proven to be indispensable by setting important accents both defensively and offensive. According to Geissblog Köln , Martel not only conducted the most duels in the league, but also an impressive pass rate of 93 percent. Struber described him as a "fearless" who leads the team with his mentality and his way of playing.

The upcoming game against Lautern will not only be a challenge for the defensive strategy of the FC, but also a proven way for Martel to prove itself further. His ability to act flexibly on the pitch will be crucial to keep the defensive stable and to lead the team to success. The eyes will rest on the performance of the 22-year-old, who is not only considered a permanent player, but also as a real leader in Cologne structure.