Fortuna Cologne, leaders of the Regionalliga West, travel to VfL Bochum II on Sunday. Here’s what coach Matthias Mink has to say.

Regionalliga West leaders Fortuna Cologne begin their 2026 competitive season in the Ruhr region. The Rhinelanders will play the reserves of second division club VfL Bochum on Sunday. “We’re expecting a tough away game in Bochum. In our home game, we didn’t pose much of a goal threat against a well-defending VfL. We definitely have to do better on Sunday. With U23 teams, it’s always difficult to predict which players will ultimately take the field. That’s why we’re focusing our preparations on what and how we want to play,” says Fortuna Cologne coach Matthias Mink. During the winter break, VfL Bochum II made significant changes to its squad. Players with no realistic prospects of playing time, such as Tolga Özdemir (SV Schermbeck) and Jan Nzeba-Bost (RW Ahlen), left the club. Other departures included Stevan Tasic (without a club), Ben Heuser (SV Kapfenberg), Divine Boafo (SV Schermbeck), and Keleb Nwubani (RW Ahlen).

In return, VfL signed Aurel Wagbe, who was recently without a club, a versatile winger with regional league experience and physical presence who has already played for Holstein Kiel in the 2nd Bundesliga. Three more new signings followed this week: Dominic Volkmer came from TSV Steinbach Haiger, Mohammed Tolba, who was without a club, returned to his old stomping ground, and Luis Köster most recently played for KSV Holstein Kiel II. Fortuna Cologne only signed Neo Telle. The midfielder, who came from 1. FC Cologne, says: ” The most important thing will be that we perform as a team and give our all. Especially at the beginning after the winter break, it’s important that we play at a high level. Not everything will work right away in terms of soccer, so we have to invest more. Bochum is not in a good position. Maybe they want to make a fresh start after the break, with the ambition of getting points. It will be a tough fight,” emphasizes new signing Neo Telle.