Overview
- Thijs Dallinga twisted his right knee and Ragnar Ache felt thigh pain during a 2:2 friendly against Viktoria Köln on Saturday, and both left the stadium for immediate scans at the Kölner Mediapark-Klinik.
- The club confirmed Dallinga has suffered a cruciate ligament tear and will be sidelined for several months, ruling him out of near-term fixtures and a long rehabilitation process.
- Ache was diagnosed with a thigh muscle injury after being substituted at halftime and the club has not given a firm return date, raising concern because he previously missed time with a similar problem in April 2026.
- Coach René Wagner called the simultaneous loss of both central strikers a serious setback that forces urgent selection and tactical adjustments ahead of upcoming Bundesliga matches.
- Dallinga is on loan from FC Bologna with a reported purchase option near €10 million, and his long absence complicates Köln’s transfer planning while the club assesses short-term attacking cover and player welfare.