Cologne vs Bayer Leverkusen

Cologne’s last home Bundesliga game until January pits them against bottom-half underachievers Bayer Leverkusen at the RheinEnergieStadion this midweek.

Based on Cologne’s indifferent 13-game Bundesliga start (W4, D5, L4), last season’s seventh-place finish could be considered a fluke, with Steffen Baumgart’s men coming into proceedings pinned to mid-table lethargy. Since a 3-2 home victory over Augsburg in mid-October, the ‘Billy Goates’ have gone winless in three consecutive league matches (D1, L2), losing by 2+ goals ‘to nil’ on both occasions. Indeed, scoring has been a genuine problem for Cologne, as their frustrating one-goal tally across the last three Bundesliga rounds accounts for the league-low in that timeframe. On the bright side, they have only lost once in their six top-flight outings at the RheinEnergieStadion this season (W3, D2).

In the meantime, Bayer Leverkusen snapped an embarrassing six-game winless streak in all competitions (W3, D3) in thumping fashion at the weekend, claiming an overwhelming 5-0 home win over Union Berlin. Seeking back-to-back Bundesliga victories for the first time this season, ‘Die Werkself’ will be out to avenge a brace of winless H2Hs in 2021/22 (D1, L1) and get their stuttering top-flight campaign back on track. Yet after only winning once on their six league travels this season (D1, L4), including three defeats in a row preceding this trip, it could prove easier said than done. Head coach Xabi Alonso has to shore up his side’s defensive woes if Leverkusen are to steer off the danger zone, with the visitors conceding an alarming average of 2.33 goals per away Bundesliga game this season.