In the inaugural fixture of the forthcoming weekend’s Bundesliga matchups, FC Koln and RB Leipzig, representing divergent aspirations within the league this season, are poised to confront each other on Friday evening.
As the host team, FC Koln currently occupies the solitary relegation playoff position with 18 points amassed from 25 encounters. Conversely, RB Leipzig, the visiting side, holds the fifth position in the league standings, having garnered 46 points across an identical number of matches.
Match preview
The 2022-23 season concluded with Koln securing a mid-table position. However, the current season presents significant challenges for the club, potentially leading them to the relegation zone by the end of gameweek 26 should they lose this match and Mainz emerge victorious against Bochum on Saturday afternoon.
Koln, commonly known as the Billy Goats, missed an opportunity to secure a safer position when they failed to defeat Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend. Despite holding the lead twice during the match, defensive vulnerabilities allowed their opponents to equalize, ultimately resulting in a 3-3 draw. This outcome extended Koln’s winless streak in the league to five matches, comprising three draws and two losses. Moreover, they have only managed one victory in their last 12 league games, which occurred in a 2-0 triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt in early February.
The team’s underwhelming performances prompted the departure of Steffen Baumgart at the end of December, with Timo Schultz appointed as his successor to stabilize the situation. However, Schultz’s tenure has seen only moderate success at home, with just one win, one draw, and three losses recorded in his first five games at RheinEnergieStadion.
Schultz now faces the challenge of preparing his team to confront an opponent that inflicted a humiliating 6-0 defeat upon them in the previous encounter in October of the preceding year, marking one of Koln’s most significant losses in the Bundesliga in over four decades.
On the other hand, RB Leipzig has shown signs of resurgence after a turbulent start to the new year. Heading into this weekend’s fixture, they have secured consecutive league victories for the first time in 2024. The first was a 4-1 win against Bochum followed by a 2-0 victory over relegation contenders Darmstadt last week. These wins have kept RB Leipzig just one point behind Borussia Dortmund, who currently occupy the fourth and final Champions League qualification spot.
With 55 goals scored in the league so far, RB Leipzig boasts the fourth-best attack in the competition. Their current goal-scoring rate is second only to the 2019-20 campaign, during which they finished third in the final standings.
Despite their offensive prowess, RB Leipzig’s recent away record has been less impressive, with a lack of clean sheets since September and just one win in their last five away matches, along with two draws and two losses.
Nevertheless, their unbeaten streak against their upcoming opponent spanning seven matches provides a significant confidence boost. A victory in this fixture would intensify pressure on Borussia Dortmund, who face a formidable challenge against sixth-placed Frankfurt on Sunday evening.
Team News
Cologne’s potential shortcomings in disciplinary matters may significantly impact their performance in the upcoming match, as Jan Thielmann remains sidelined serving the second match of a three-match suspension following a straight red card received against Bayer Leverkusen earlier this month. Furthermore, Timo Hubers and Dejan Ljubicic are ineligible for selection on Friday due to accumulated yellow cards, resulting in a one-match suspension for each player.
On the injury front, Justin Diehl (hip), Luca Waldschmidt (knock), and Mark Uth (knee) are currently unavailable and are not anticipated to return to action until the following month.
Contrarily, Leipzig faces a setback as defender Lukas Klostermann will be absent due to a hip injury, with his return expected by the end of the month. Additionally, Mohamed Simakan, who sustained a knock in the closing minutes of the match against Darmstadt last week, is uncertain for the upcoming weekend’s fixture.
FC Koln possible starting lineup:
Schwaebe; Carstensen, Chabot, Heintz, Finkgrafe; Martel, Huseinbasic; Alidou, Kainz, Maina; Adamyan
RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Henrichs, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Elmas, Kampl, Schlager, Simons; Poulsen, Openda