Schalke 04 vs Koln preview - Cologne hoping for Schalke upset

Cologne coach Peter Stoger is hoping to bring Schalke crashing back down to earth with a bang this Saturday when his stuttering side pay the Arena AufSchalke a visit.

The in-form Royal Blues celebrated booking their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League for a third year in a row in midweek, thanks to a 1-0 win in Maribor, and they will find out their last-16 opponents on Monday.

Before then though, Schalke play host to a Cologne side who are desperate to bounce back from a run of four defeats in five Bundesliga games.

Stoger said: "It's going to be hard work, but it can be possible for us to pick something up at Schalke.

"We want to use this week with three games to make sure we go into the new year with a good feeling and not a great deal of pressure."

Stoger welcomes Matthias Lehmann back from suspension for the match against Schalke who, in stark contrast to Cologne, are currently rising the standings.

They have won four of their last five league matches to climb up to fifth in the table, one point off third place.

"Things are going in a different direction for Schalke at the moment, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to get something," added Stoger.

Schalke coach Roberto Di Matteo, meanwhile, does not really have any options to change a winning side even if he wanted to, meaning Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who is a game away from suspension, and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting should again lead the Royal Blues' attack.