Karlsruher SC - Fortuna Düsseldorf

This is and absolutely top match between KSC and Fortuna and also a very important sign how the teams go in the next weeks. After the Point from Darmstadt on Friday KSC is down to 3rd place but can overcome them with a draw again. But also for Fortuna it is a lot possible above all if they win this encounter they climb up to 2nd place for themselves here. It is only possible because the next top match is between Braunschweig and Kaiserslautern.

The winter break has not done much for KSC, they are absolutely in the same form as before. Before the break they won easy against FSV 4-1 and in their preparation to second half of the season they showed some good results and play too. With Großasbach 2-1, FSV 3-0, Freiburg 5-0 were all won but also the friendlies who were not won against Basel 2-2 and Wolfsburg 1-2 were very good from them and let them hope for a good and important second half and in the end with promotion back in 1.Bundesliga. The team from Coach Kauczinski has a lot of self confidence and motivation after this good run and they are hot to start today.
Kauczinski has almost all players ready, only long term injured Traut and youngster Mehlem who got injured in trainings camp are not available today but nevertheless he has to choose form a very good and deep squad. Both central defenders Gordon and Gulde must hold their level because with Mauersberger is a player behind them who is very close to move into the starting lineup. Also in midfield with Yabo and Meffert who has pressure from Peitz and Krebs. In offensive they have with Yamada and Nazarov two offensive players but with Krebs also a alternative here. But the most important singing was Salkahi from Bayern Munich Am. who is a fresh and quick player and brings a lot of power into the offensive play for KSC. He starts immediately and beside him on the other wing Torres. Both should try to push from behind and bring the defensive line form Düsseldorf in danger. In attack he has to choose from Hennings or Micanski, both are not such bad in this league.

Now we come to Düsseldorf who had some problems to prepare for this part of the season right now. They won against Fortuna Köln 4-0, Skenderbeu 2-0, FT Braunschweig 6-1 but lost also against Grasshoppers 0-3, Basel 1-2 and disappointed against Meppen 0-0. But the most important test was at home against Dortmund where they played really good soccer and with the new build defensive line with only 3 players like Guardiola did sometimes in Munich they draw 1-1 in an exiting match. But nevertheless we all know the strength from Dortmund at the moment, nothing special. According to the good coordination and good play from the defensive line it is not so far away that Coach Reck count on this tactic again today. With Bodzek, Soares and Tah there are 3 defenders who are set to play this part. Also midfield player Liendl has a new part he moves from the wing to the central position in midfield and he showed a really uptrend there and looks more and more inform. Coach Reck said that this is only a option under more systems he can play with his team. But if he take this in mind as written above it looks like that the following players are out of the team .... Bolly and Halloran. In attack he counts on two strikers with Pohjanpalo and Benschop while Hoffer sit on bench at least. In midfield defensiv plays Gartner because of the injury of Avevor. On both wings are playing Schmitz and Schauerte. It is a system like 3-5-2.

Both teams meet each other 39 times while KSC could win 17, draw 9 and lost 13. But in the 2.Bundesliga the record is 4-3-4. The last 4 games ended all without a home win. The one win who is in mind was Düsseldorf's 5-0 win on the 24.Round in Season 2011/12. But KSC took revenge with two wins in a row in Düsseldorf already. The last meeting in Karlsruhe was a 2-2 draw.