Cologne suffer double striker injury blow ahead of crucial Bundesliga derby

Cologne have suffered a significant double injury blow after both Thijs Dallinga and Ragnar Ache were forced off during Saturday's international-break friendly against Viktoria Köln.

The most serious concern surrounds Dallinga. Cologne confirmed on Saturday evening that the 26-year-old suffered a cruciate-ligament injury and will consequently be sidelined for several months. Ache, meanwhile, sustained a muscular injury in his thigh and will also be unavailable for the time being.

The circumstances made an already difficult afternoon particularly cruel. Dallinga initially required treatment after hurting his knee during a penalty-area situation and ultimately had to be helped from the pitch. Ache replaced him in the 35th minute.

Approximately ten minutes later, Cologne's other established centre-forward was also struggling. Ache remained in the dressing room at halftime after suffering his own injury, meaning the cathedral city side effectively lost both of their primary strikers within the space of ten minutes.

Dallinga's promising Cologne start interrupted

Dallinga only arrived in the Bundesliga ahead of this season on loan from Bologna. His start could scarcely have been more encouraging. Dallinga scored twice on his league debut against Hoffenheim after coming off the bench.

The weeks that followed proved more difficult. Dallinga missed a penalty in the 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen and failed to convert another excellent opportunity in the defeat to Hamburg.

The Dutchman had nevertheless already established himself as a legitimate competitor for Ache's starting position. There also remained the possibility of head coach René Wagner using both centre-forwards together.

That option has now disappeared for the foreseeable future.

Ache's injury compounds the problem considerably. The 28-year-old played an important role for Cologne throughout last season and developed into one of the club's most dependable attacking weapons after initially requiring time to settle at Bundesliga level.

The timing is particularly unwelcome. Cologne return from the international break with an October 11 derby against Borussia Mönchengladbach before facing Eintracht Frankfurt and promoted Schalke in the Bundesliga. A DFB-Pokal meeting with Union Berlin also follows later in the month.

Marius Bülter appears the most obvious candidate to fill the vacancy in the short term. The 33-year-old scored Cologne's equalizer in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Viktoria and possesses extensive Bundesliga experience playing both centrally and from wider positions. Wagner may nevertheless have to reconsider his attacking structure altogether while awaiting further clarity on Ache's recovery.

Dallinga's absence will regrettably be measured in months.