Koln vs Borussia Dortmund

Relegation-threatened Koln welcome Borussia Dortmund to the RheinEnergieStadion looking to clinch a league double in their Bundesliga H2Hs for the first time since 1988/89.

The hosts have gone winless in five Bundesliga games in a row (D1, L4) since claiming a 2-1 victory at Borussia Monchengladbach on Matchday 20, scoring only three goals while conceding 11 in return. Worryingly, Koln have registered only 31.82% of their total Bundesliga points on home soil (7/22), with their tally of one win from 12 top-flight home games remaining the division’s second-worst. Furthermore, Markus Gisdol’s men have established a habit of falling behind without recovering, surrendering the points in 80% of the Bundesliga fixtures in which they conceded first this term (GP:15 – D3, L12). Before securing a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture earlier this season, ‘Die Geißböcke’ were winless in seven consecutive league meetings with Dortmund (D3, L4). Curiously, though, they have found the net in each of their last eight top-flight H2Hs as hosts.

Meanwhile, the visitors have won three of their last four Bundesliga matches by an aggregate score of 9-0, with a 4-2 loss at Bayern Munich on Matchday 24 being the lone exception. On the flip side, however, ‘Die Borussen’ have suffered four defeats in their previous five away league games (W1), with each reverse in that sequence seeing over 2.5 goals and both teams scoring. Notably, though, Dortmund are on the club’s best-ever run of 35 consecutive fixtures across all competitions in which they managed to score at least once. They often tend to step on the gas after the interval, as evidenced by the fact that 72% of their total away Bundesliga goals scored so far arrived in the second half of play (18/25). What’s more, Edin Terzic’s men have been relentless against the sides starting the day in the bottom three this season, winning 75% of such encounters (GP:8 – W6, D1, L1).