Ragnar Ache gave FC Koln a major lift as he returned to full team training on Tuesday, showing no setbacks from the knee concern that briefly threatened his preseason momentum.
The 27-year-old striker, who netted a hat trick in the 7-4 win over Vitesse Arnhem on Sunday, had sparked injury fears after reporting discomfort in his knee. But those fears were quickly put to rest as Ache trained without issue, wearing a protective bandage but moving freely throughout the session.
It’s a welcome boost for Koln boss Lukas Kwasniok, who had hoped Ache’s knee problem was nothing serious. With this clearance, the summer signing from Kaiserslautern keeps pace with Luca Waldschmidt in the ongoing fight for the main striker role.
Ache’s return comes at a crucial time. Koln will host Italian side Atalanta in their final preseason test on August 9. A week later, they begin their DFB Pokal campaign away to Regensburg on August 17.
