Schwäbe - Schmitz, Hübers, Chabot, Hector (c) - Skhiri, Martel - Maina, Kainz, Ljubicic - Selke

Horn, Pedersen, Kilian, Huseinbasic, Schindler, Limnios, Thielmann, Olesen, Tigges

Flekken - Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Günter (c) - Eggestein, Höfler - Doan, Höler, Grifo - Gregoritsch

Uphoff, Ezekwem, Sildillia, Keitel, Sallai, Wagner, Jeong, Weißhaupt, Petersen

Christian Streich: "I imagine that this will be an attractive game. We are no longer an inexperienced team [and] the boys know what this game means. We'll need maximum energy in Cologne. I know what's coming on Saturday: it gets loud and it gets passionate."

Billy Goats coach Steffen Baumgart said after beating Hoffenheim that even though his side aren’t mathematically safe from relegation, they feel a lot more secure now, sitting 11th and 10 points clear of the bottom three. Cologne have rediscovered form at just the right time, ending a five-match winless run by now going four unbeaten, claiming away wins at Hoffenheim and Augsburg, and drawing at home to Gladbach and Mainz.

Can the little club from the Black Forest really do it? They’ve never before qualified for the UEFA Champions League but now just need to hold their position for five more games. A comfortable 4-0 win over Schalke last weekend saw Freiburg leapfrog RB Leipzig into fourth and then now hold a two-point advantage. They face Leipzig twice next week, however, in the DFB Cup semi-final and then again in the Bundesliga – both at the Europa-Park Stadion. Just one defeat in 10 league outings will fill Christian Streich’s side with confidence.

Schwäbe - Schmitz, Hübers, Chabot, Hector (c) - Skhiri, Martel - Ljubicic, Kainz, Maina – Selke

Dietz (cruciate ligament), Uth (pelvis)

Flekken - Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Günter (c) - Eggestein, Höfler - Sallai, Höler, Grifo – Gregoritsch

Kyereh (cruciate ligament)

The only two outfield players yet to miss a single minute of Bundesliga action this season are Freiburg’s Matthias Ginter and Wolfsburg’s Micky van de Ven. The latter is suspended this weekend, so Ginter can now take that crown outright. He has five games left to reach the perfect 3,060-minute mark.

Cologne lead the division for goals from crosses from open play with 11. Meanwhile, Freiburg top the standings for goals from set pieces (18).

Freiburg’s sole defeat in their last 10 league fixtures came against Bayern Munich (1-0). They are also unbeaten in their 17 games played against teams currently sitting in the bottom half of the table, with 12 wins and five draws. Cologne are currently 11th.

The Black Forest club moved back into the top four with victory over Schalke last weekend. It was their 15th league win of the campaign, equalling their total from last term with five games still to play.

The Billy Goats beat Hoffenheim last time out, but they are actually yet to win two Bundesliga games in a row this season.

Cologne are unbeaten in their last four Bundesliga games. A fifth would equal the club record under Steffen Baumgart as he approaches the end of his second season in charge.

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live match coverage of the Matchday 30 fixture between Cologne and Freiburg.