Separated by seven points in the league table, Bundesliga sides Bayer Leverkusen and Koln fight it out for all three points at BayArena on Saturday, 13 December.
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Bayer Leverkusen vs Koln prediction: Schwarzroten to beat the Billy Goats
Key stats
- Leverkusen are on a two-match winless streak across all competitions (D1, L1).
- Die Werkself are unbeaten in a club-record 16 league games against newly-promoted sides (W12, D4).
- Koln have not won away from home in three Bundesliga games (D1, L2).
- The Billy Goats have won three of their last four H2Hs (D1, L1).
Correct score prediction: Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 Koln
Bayer Leverkusen’s morale-boosting 2-0 victory over Manchester City arrived at the tail end of a four-match winning streak, and the Werkself have struggled since. Most recently, Alex Grimaldo’s late strike against Newcastle United rescued Leverkusen form the brink of their third defeat in four games.
On the other hand, Koln have recovered from their two-match slump with back-to-back 1-1 draws against Werder Bremen and St. Pauli. The newly-promoted Billy Goats sit just six points behind the European qualification spots, and Lukas Kwasniok will be eager to upset Leverkusen.
Despite their poor home form of successive winless games, we expect this Bayer Leverkusen side to edge past Koln by the narrowest of margins at BayArena.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Leverkusen for the win
- HOME: 1/2 (1.50) – 66.6%
- DRAW: 18/5 (4.60) – 21.7%
- AWAY: 9/2 (5.50) – 18.1%
*odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Hjulmand is eager to steer Leverkusen back to winning ways in the league after losing back-to-back games. The Schwarzroten are expected to triumph on home turf, with odds of 1/2 (1.50) implying a 66.6% chance of success.
Koln have won one-fourth of their 13 Bundesliga games of the season. Kwasniok’s men are the underdogs, according to bookmakers, with 9/2 (5.50) odds.
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Most recent H2Hs: Schwarzroten with the upper hand
Leverkusen have been dominant in recent meetings, winning seven of their last 10 H2Hs across all competitions. Two of the hosts’ defeats to Koln in that span have come on home turf.
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Leverkusen preview: Back to winning ways?
Exequiel Palacios is sidelined alongside Lucas and Iganacio Fernandez for Kasper Hjulmand and co.
Predicted lineup: Flekken (GK), Andrich, Bade, Tapsoba, Hofmann, Maza, Garcia, Poku, Tillman, Terrier & Schick
Last five matches:
- Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Newcastle United (UEFA Champions League)
- Augsburg 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen (Bundesliga)
- Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen (DFB Pokal)
- Bayer Leverkusen 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga)
- Manchester City 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen (UEFA Champions League)
Koln preview: Four absentees
Dominique Heintz, Timo Hubers, Luca Kilian and Joel Schmied are confirmed absentees for this clash.
Predicted lineup: Schwabe (GK), van Der Berg, Martel, Sebulonsen, Krauss, Kaminski, Thielmann, Huseinbasic, Bulter, Waldschmidt & El Mala
Last five matches:
- Koln 1-1 St. Pauli (Bundesliga)
- Werder Bremen 1-1 Koln (Bundesliga)
- Koln 3-4 Frankfurt (Bundesliga)
- Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 Koln (Bundesliga)
- Koln 4-1 Hamburg (Bundesliga)
Player to watch: Alejandro Grimaldo
A regular presence in Leverkusen’s starting eleven, Grimaldo missed the 2-0 Bundesliga loss to Augsburg due to injury, before bouncing back with a match-saving leveler against Newcastle in the Champions League. He also provided the match-winning assist in the 1-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal at the start of December.