After suffering a 2-0 defeat at FC Barcelona and losing Tanja Pawollek to a torn cruciate knee ligament, Eintracht Women head into Matchday 11 of the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga with mixed emotions. On the one hand, Niko Arnautis’s side can be proud of their battling display in Catalonia on Thursday evening. On the other, losing club captain Pawollek to injury has dampened the mood in the Eintracht camp.
We’re happy to return to league action and want to end the first half of the season with a win.
Niko Arnautis
“We’ll have to perform”
Nevertheless, Arnautis’s charges are determined to round off the first half of the league campaign with victory at home to 1. FC Köln on Sunday 28 January (kick-off 14:00 CET). “We’re happy to return to league action and want to end the first half of the season with a win,” said the head coach. “After a tough, much-anticipated encounter in Barcelona and looking at our midweek schedule, things are going to get twice as hard – but we’ll manage as we did last year. Köln have strengthened well during the winter break and they’re a good side. We’ll have to perform and be focused.”
Injury misfortune
As well as Pawollek, Arnautis may also be without Géraldine Reuteler against Köln. The Swiss international was forced off with an injury against Barcelona and will undergo further tests on Friday. Stina Johannes also had to be taken off on Thursday due to illness – a decision regarding her fitness will be made nearer kick-off.
