Overview

• Rot-Weiss Essen face Viktoria Köln on Saturday at 16:30 at Stadion an der Hafenstraße, with live coverage on Magenta Sport.
• Captain Michael Schultz limited his work to light running on Wednesday and his availability remains uncertain, while Klaus Gjasula is out due to a red-card suspension.
• Top scorer Jannik Mause missed the session for unspecified reasons, with the club indicating no sign of a serious injury and his status for the match unclear.
• Summer signing Jaka Cuber Potocnik returned to full training after a muscle issue and is expected to be in the squad, having worked as a second striker behind Marek Janssen in drills.
• Essen turn back to the league after a cup defeat at Rot-Weiß Oberhausen and persistent defensive issues, as a home win would move them above Viktoria, who are unbeaten in four with David Otto leading their scoring.