Schalke: Jhon Cordoba and 5 key players to watch on Köln

FC Schalke 04 will face FC Köln on the road on Matchday 24, and here are five key players who could give the Royal Blues trouble.

After losing 5-0 to RB Leipzig, FC Schalke 04 will have their work cut out for them on Matchday 24 against FC Köln, who are fresh off a 5-0 win over relegation candidates Hertha Berlin. The same Hertha side that the Royal Blues drew 0-0 in the Bundesliga a few weeks before before defeating them in extra time in the DFB Pokal.

Despite their poor form, Schalke are the clear favorites on paper. However, even with Mark Uth unable to play due to the clause in his loan deal and star left back Noah Katterbach out with injury, Köln still have several players who could give the Royal Blues some problems.

Here are five of them.

CM Elvis Rexhbecaj

Since Mark Uth won’t be lining up as the No. 10 against Schalke, Die Effzeh will need someone else in center midfield to step up.

VfL Wolfsburg loanee Elvis Rexhbecaj is the man to watch. He made his first start last week against Hertha and played a role in the 5-0 victory, recording his first assist with the club. Rexhbecaj recorded a whopping five tackles, drew four fouls, and completed three dribbles in an astonishing first start for Köln, per WhoScored.com.

A box-to-box presence for the likes of Omar Mascarell and Suat Serdar to contend with, Rexhbecaj could be an X-Factor capable of swinging the balance of the match.