Marvin Schwäbe will lead 1. FC Köln into the derby against Borussia Mönchengladbach with a long view of the club’s changing fortunes behind him. The 31-year-old goalkeeper is in his sixth season in Cologne and has been captain for just over a year.
Schwäbe arrived as competition for then first-choice goalkeeper Timo Horn and worked his way into the side through several difficult periods. He played European football with Köln and retained the No. 1 shirt at the start of the 2024/25 second-tier campaign, winning the contest with Jonas Urbig, now a Germany international goalkeeper.
Before the meeting with Gladbach, Schwäbe has also addressed the doubts surrounding coach René Wagner, his own mistakes and the club’s broader development. Köln’s captain remains one of the squad’s established figures as attention turns to the regional rivalry.
