FC Cologne vs RB Leipzig – News and Probable Lineups

FC Koln aims to secure their third victory in four fixtures as they host RB Leipzig at the RheinEnergieStadion this Sunday afternoon.

The Billy Goats have witnessed an uptick in form lately, while their rivals have fallen from the top four due to a concerning downturn.

Match overview

FC Koln’s head coach Lukas Kwasniok had been feeling the heat after leading the team through an eight-match winless stretch in the Bundesliga. However, a recent turnaround in results has provided him with some essential relief.

The Billy Goats have claimed two victories in their last three encounters against other relegation battlers, including a 2-1 triumph over Mainz and a narrow 1-0 win against Wolfsburg last weekend.

These victories have helped Kwasniok and his squad establish a five-point cushion above the relegation zone, yet with 14 matches still left in the season, they cannot afford to be complacent.

Home performances have been pivotal for Koln, with the majority of their points amassed at the RheinEnergieStadion, and they will hope this trend continues against a struggling RB Leipzig.

The club’s strong home record can largely be attributed to their passionate supporters, who made headlines earlier this week when 50,000 fans showed up to watch their U19s compete against Inter de Milão in the UEFA Youth League.

At one point in the current season, it appeared RB Leipzig might be the primary challengers to Bayern Munich in the title fight.

However, that narrative has disintegrated recently, as Leipzig have managed just two victories in their last seven Bundesliga outings, resulting in their slip from the top four.

With no European commitments this season, head coach Ole Werner and his squad had a clear focus on their domestic efforts. However, their recent poor performances suggest a battle for a top-four finish is now on the horizon.

Leipzig’s last two results have been especially disappointing, with Die Roten Bullen held to a 1-1 stalemate against St Pauli before losing 2-1 at home to Mainz, both of whom are currently in the relegation battle.

Having secured only one away victory since October, it is evident that collecting points on the road has become a challenge for Leipzig—something they aim to change this Sunday.

FC Koln Bundesliga form:

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FC Koln form (all competitions):

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RB Leipzig Bundesliga form:

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RB Leipzig form (all competitions):

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Team News

One of the major stories from Koln is that Said El Mala is expected to feature in Sunday’s match after the club turned down a substantial £30m offer from Brighton & Hove Albion just before the winter transfer window closed.

In terms of injuries, Alessio Castro-Montes has recently joined the ranks of absentees due to a muscle issue.

Timo Hubers and Luca Kilian are sidelined with knee injuries, while Linton Maina and Inglaterra’s Jahmai Simpson-Pusey are also among the injured players.

RB Leipzig, conversely, will still be without Viggo Gebel, Castello Lukeba, Assan Ouedraogo, and Suleiman Sani, all of whom are currently injured.

Alemanha’s Brajan Gruda has recently joined the club on loan from Brighton and will be contesting for a spot in the starting XI on Sunday.

Striker Timo Werner is unavailable for selection as he has recently said farewell to Leipzig ahead of his move to San Jose Earthquakes.

FC Koln probable starting XI:

Swabian; Sebulenson, Van den Berg, Ozkacar, Lund; Thielmann, Martel, Krauss, Kaminski; Oh, El Mala

RB Leipzig probable starting XI:

Gulacsi; Baku, Orban, Bitshiabu, space; Seiwald, Schlager, Baumgartner; Diomande, Romulo, Nusa

FC Koln are a formidable opponent at home, and the out-of-form Leipzig side is likely to face a significant challenge.

Three of the last seven encounters have concluded in draws, and we anticipate that trend to persist this weekend.