Ragnar Ache set to lead Köln attack in first Bundesliga start in over three years

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Köln striker Marius Bülter looks to be sidelined for his team’s forthcoming Bundesliga fixture against VfB Stuttgart. With Bülter troubled by Achilles tendon discomfort, head coach Lukas Kwasniok suggested that Ragnar Ache may be in line for his first Bundesliga start in over three years.

Ache made 24 Bundesliga appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt between 2020 and 2022. The now 27-year-old struggled mightily in the only German top flight start of his career; a 2-0 away loss against Gerardo Seoane’s Bayer Leverkusen on May 5th, 2022.

Ache spent three seasons in the 2. Bundesliga playing for SpVgg Greuther Fürth and 1. FC Kaiserslautern before switching to Köln this summer. The Frankfurt native – who also scored once for Eintracht in the Bundesliga – racked up 41 German second division goals for the Middle Franconian Kleeblätter and the Pfälzer Red Devils during that time.

Thus far this year, Ache has collected three assists in five substitute appearances across all competitions. Kwasniok does have other options to lead his attack. The returning Luca Waldschmidt could serve as the lone lead striker. Linton Maina and young phenom Said El Mala can also work on the top axis. Kwasniok nevertheless appeared to lean toward Ache. 

“I have an embarrassment of riches [in attack],” Kwasniok noted at his Friday pre-match press conference. “And that’s what’s great about it. We still have to make up for a lack of physicality in Bülti’s absence. I think he [Ache] deserves it.“

GGFN | Peter Weis