Third division team Rot-Weiss Essen will face SV Wehen Wiesbaden in two days. Coach Christoph Dabrowski spoke about the personnel situation ahead of the home match.

After the disappointing 0:3 defeat at 1. FC Saarbrücken last matchday, Rot-Weiss Essen will be challenged against the next promotion contender next Saturday (25 March, 2pm). SV Wehen Wiesbaden, fourth in the table, will travel to Hafenstraße. Between 15,000 and 16,000 spectators are expected, including 150 guest fans from Wiesbaden.

The Hessians are in fourth place with 50 points. Because the U23 of SC Freiburg, as second in the table, cannot be promoted, this position would entitle them to relegation at the end of the season.

So the Essen team has a demanding task ahead of them, but RWE has no need to hide at Hafenstraße. Head coach Christoph Dabrowski’s men have now been unbeaten for eleven home games. The last defeat at home was on 09 August 2022 against Viktoria Köln (1:4) – that was more than seven months ago.

In his mission to continue the home series, the football coach will definitely have to do without six-man Björn Rother (torn lateral ligament in the ankle), who was injured in Saarbrücken and had to be substituted early on.

I’m optimistic that he might be able to return after the cup game and then even be an option for the game against Freiburg II.

Christoph Dabrowski on Björn Rother.

“Yes, it didn’t look good at first glance. That’s why I’m glad it’s not quite so wild. Björn is basically a player who can grit his teeth. I’m optimistic that he might be able to come back in after the cup match and then even be an option for the game against Freiburg II,” explained the 44-year-old Dabrowski in the press conference before the Wehen match.

In addition to Rother, Michel Niemeyer (fibre tear) and Aurel Loubongo (syndesmosis problems), who had to be substituted after ten minutes in the test match at De Graafschap (1-0), will also be out. “We’ll have to see how long that lasts with Aurel. I think he will need a few days first, maybe even a week or two,” emphasised the RWE coach.

Meanwhile, Dabrowski had good news for Simon Engelmann, who celebrated his 34th birthday on Wednesday and had to miss the last game due to tonsillitis. The goal scorer will return to the squad: “I don’t think he is at 100 per cent of his capacity yet, but he has been training all week. It will be enough for a certain number of minutes then.”

After these statements, it is likely that Engelmann will initially sit on the bench and then be substituted during the course of the match.