After the away victory in Düsseldorf that extended their lead at the top of the table, Borussia Dortmund U23 coach Enrico Maaßen gave his players three days off before preparations for the next home game began on Wednesday. Fortuna Cologne will be the visitors to Dortmund-Brackel on Sunday.

"We're in the home straight," said Lennard Maloney following the final training session, which lasted around 90 minutes. Given the congested fixture list in March, a week with only one fixture on the agenda is especially beneficial for regeneration purposes.

Dortmund's upcoming opponents were last in action when they drew 2-2 at home to Alemannia Aachen on 24 March. Prior to that match, Cologne had only managed to take four points from their previous six games. Coach Alexander Ende and his charges currently sit in fourth place in the Regionalliga West, 19 points adrift of the Black & Yellows. The most dangerous attacker for the Rhineland-based outfit is centre-forward Roman Prokoph. The 35-year-old veteran has already notched 11 goals and one assist this season. 

BVB won the reverse fixture at the Südstadion in Cologne 2-1. Tobias Raschl and Taylan Duman put the Black & Yellows on the path to victory with goals in the first half. The latter will not be available on Sunday. Having sustained a thigh injury, Duman is working towards a return to team training. 

The match will kick off at 15:00 CET on Sunday. We'll be broadcasting the game here.