FC Koln host Eintracht Frankfurt at the RehinEnergieStadion on Sunday with both sides unbeaten since returning from the winter break.
Frankfurt head into the game off the back of a 4-2 DFB-Pokal victory over Darmstadt on Tuesday. A brace from Randal Kolo Muani with Rafael Santos Borre and Daichi Kamada also getting on the scoresheet ensured they progressed to the quarter-final stage.
Last weekend they beat struggling Hertha Berlin 3-0 to put themselves in fifth and just one point outside the Champions League places. Kolo Muani scored twice yet again before a Aurelio Buta strike in added time topped off a great team performance.
In contrast, the hosts have drawn their last three games, with a 0-0 draw last weekend against RB Leipzig.
They have, however, impressed at home with an emphatic 7-1 win over Werder Bremen at the end of January and will look to emulate that performance this weekend.
Koln sit seven points above the drop zone in 11th but Steffen Baumgart and his side are tough to beat, having lost just six of their 19 games so far this season.
These two shared the spoils during gameweek three at the end of August. Kamada opened the scoring for Frankfurt on 71 minutes from a free kick, but was cancelled out 10 minutes later when youngster Jan Thielmann volleyed past Kevin Trapp.
Koln have won four of their nine home games so far this season and losing just two times at the RheinEnergie Stadion. Behind Bayern Munich, Frankfurt are the second best away team this season, having won four, drawn four and lost just the one away game.
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Team News
FC Koln
The main news for Koln is that Dejan Ljubicic is questionable for Sunday having picked up an illness. The Serbian had made two straight starts having returned from injury himself so there may be a change on the left-wing for the hosts.
Davie Selke is also a doubt as the club revealed this week he has been training individually following a short substitute appearance against Leipzig.
This would leave their front line very light if Selke misses out as experienced strikers Mark Uth and Sebastian Andersson are still both missing.
Eintracht Frankfurt
There is no new team news of note for Eintracht. Marcel Wenig and Junior Dina Ebimbe are the only players that are out which leaves Oliver Glasner plenty of options should he feel the need for rotation following the cup game on Tuesday.
Santos Borre saw himself earn a start in midweek and getting a goal will help his case for starting on Sunday. Djibril Sow started on the bench during midweek but has been an ever-present in the Frankfurt midfield this season so will may find his way back into the starting lineup.
Phillip Max has impressed on the left-hand side since making a loan move from PSV Eindhoven in January and will look to get forward as often as possible.
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Likely Lineups
FC Koln
Schwabe; Schmitz, Hubers, Chabot, Hector; Martel, Skhiri, Maina, Huseinbasic; Kainz, Tigges
Eintracht Frankfurt
Trapp; Tuta, Hasebe, Ndicka; Buta, Kamada, Sow, Max; Santos Borre, Gotze, Kolo Muani
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Key Players
FC Koln - Florian Kainz
Florian Kainz is the creative spark for Koln with five goals and five assists to his name, putting him joint-first in both goals and assists for the Billy Goats.
He tends to play in the 'ten' role and is the attacking thrust for his side. He excels at picking up space between the lines and creating opportunities for his forwards.
With Frankfurt playing a 3-4-3 formation, he has various options to try exploit their back three. He will look to find space in front of their middle centre-back but also likes to drift out wide and has provided 43 crosses from open play far this season and will look to pin the back three of Frankfurt in their own penalty area.
Eintracht Frankfurt - Mario Gotze
The 2014 World Cup winner has started every game for Frankfurt this season and despite not having many goal contributions, his leadership and ability certainly has an impact on his side. Mario Gotze may only have two goals and one assist in the Bundesliga but he finds himself in fine form heading into the game on Sunday.
His one assist came in the 1-1 draw away at Bayern and he assisted two goals in midweek in the DFB-Pokal victory. He starts in behind Kolo Muani and finds himself picking up pockets of space between opposing midfields and defences, along with dropping deeper to then support the two more defensive minded midfielders.
The hard work of the German does not go unnoticed. He sits third in distance covered in the Bundesliga with 213.4 kilometres while also leading the league with 1735 intensive runs, over 100 more than any other player.
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Match Details
Where is the game being played?
Frankfurt head north to the RheinEnergieStadion to face Koln.
What time is kick-off?
The game will take place at 16:30 GMT on Sunday.
How can I watch?
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Football with coverage beginning just before kickoff.
You can follow all the news and views as it happens right here on VAVEL UK.