Two RWE players received their fifth yellow card against SSV Ulm. But TSV 1860 Munich will also have to do without an important player before the RWE game.

On Saturday (January 17, 2 p.m.), Rot-Weiss Essen will travel to TSV 1860 Munich for the start of the second half of the 3rd league season. It is already clear that two players have extended their winter break by a week after receiving their fifth yellow card against SSV Ulm 1846 (3-2).

Midfield veteran Klaus Gjasula (in the 85th minute) and right-back Jannik Hofmann (in the 81st minute) each received their fifth yellow card and will not be traveling to the already sold-out stadium of the “Lions” for the big game.

Gjasula expressed his frustration to the WAZ newspaper. “It was actually an unnecessary yellow card. I was determined not to get one. It was really minor. I just have to stay away from that and I was severely punished. I was really annoyed.”

Now Essen has to travel to Munich without Hofmann and Gjasula, both of whom were on the pitch on the first matchday against TSV, which ended in a 1-1 draw. This was followed by a first half of the season in which RWE was consistently at the top. Munich had a disastrous start, but has improved recently.

Four points separate RWE and TSV, who must win against Essen, or at least not lose. Seven points behind would be a huge burden.

Four Essen players were on four yellow cards before the match against SSV Ulm. Kaito Mizuta and Tobias Kraulich escaped suspension, but after his booking against Ulm, José Enrique Ríos Alonso is now also one card away from suspension. In the 0-2 home defeat to SC Verl, striker Kevin Volland and center back Siemen Voet were suspended. Both are eligible to play against RWE again. However, coach Markus Kauczinski’s team will have to do without their captain. Midfielder Thore Jacobsen received a yellow-red card against Verl and will therefore miss the game against RWE.