In the top-of-the-table clash between Energie Cottbus and MSV Duisburg, Cottbus coach Claus-Dieter Wollitz will be without key players.

Energie Cottbus hosts MSV Duisburg on Saturday (December 6, 2 p.m.) for the top match of the 3. Liga and aims to challenge the Meiderich-based team for the top spot in the standings. Coach Claus-Dieter Wollitz will have to fill some gaps, particularly in the defense.

During Cottbus’s 3-2 victory over Viktoria Köln last matchday, King Manu had to be substituted at halftime due to injury. Additionally, Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant received his fifth yellow card and is therefore suspended for the next match. As a result, Wollitz will have to do without two of his regular center backs against Duisburg.

At the pre-match press conference, Wollitz explained that while Manu’s ankle injury was not as serious as initially feared, the player on loan from Fortuna Düsseldorf would still have to sit out for several weeks. For the players stepping in, however, this is “a huge opportunity to make a name for themselves,” the coach emphasized.

The decision on who will fill the resulting gaps has not yet been finalized. For Wollitz, however, individual positions will not be the deciding factor on Saturday, as the 60-year-old coach is focused on the big picture.

We have a lot coming our way, but that’s exactly where I see our opportunity

Claus-Dieter Wollitz

“We have to figure out what the best mix is, including for the players who play in front of them,” explained Wollitz. “For example, if we play with the lineup of Dominik Pelivan, Alex Borgmann, and Tolcay Cigerci—which is absolutely valid—we’re playing with players who exploit space rather than man-marking players. In that regard, it’s important who can play behind them if we say we want to play one-on-one, even though we’re actually coming through the space.”

It therefore remains to be seen with which starting lineup and in which formation the coach intends to reclaim the top spot in the standings. Additionally, Janis Juckel and Elias Bethke will be out. Ted Tattermusch, Can Moustfa, and Jonas Hofmann are still in rehabilitation training. Furthermore, Henry Rorig and Timmy Thiele are questionable.

Despite the personnel concerns, Wollitz is looking forward to the top-of-the-table clash with optimism and wants to tip the match in the hosts’ favor through superior play. “We’ll face quite a challenge, but that’s exactly where I see our opportunity. We want to find both our positional play and structure as well as create a good balance between build-up play and pressing,” the coach emphasized.