Cologne vs Hannover Preview

Cologne vs Hannover Preview

Zvonimir Soldo has a job on his hands getting his players focused on Cologne's clash with Hannover.

A 3-0 win at Trier on Tuesday has got Cologne dreaming of cup success this season and a return to European football for the first time in 17 years.

On Saturday evening, they will discover who their next opponents will be on the way to Berlin with three lower-league opponents still in the draw.

"We really want a home game," said striker Lukas Podolski. "We will just have to wait and see if it works out.

"Of course Berlin is a dream and we are aiming for the final.

"We are only two games away."

But the next 24 Bundesliga matches will be at least as important for the club, who are fighting for survival at the bottom of the table, and captain Milivoje Novakovic realises the importance of staying in the top flight next season.

"Everybody's talking about Europe, but we have got to win again against Hannover," he told the Express newspaper.

Hannover could have Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke back in their team for the first time in almost two months tomorrow.

He has now fully recovered from a debilitating viral infection and wants to play in Hannover's next two matches to convince Germany coach Joachim Low that he is ready for next month's international friendlies against Chile and Ivory Coast.

"We are all delighted to have him back," said Hannover coach Andreas Bergmann. "Robert is in very good condition."

The same cannot be said of Arnold Bruggink, who misses out this weekend after taking a blow to his calf on Thursday.


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