Billy Goats lock horns with Red Bulls in Bundesliga weekend opener.

2024-09-27

In a battle to end their five-game winless streak, FC Köln face an in-form RB Leipzig who are eyeing a third consecutive victory to break into the top four, kicking off at 20:30 [GMT+1] on Friday, March 15, at the RheinEnergieStadion.

FC Köln

FC Köln remained in 16th place, two points above the bottom two, having alternated between a draw and a loss in their last five Bundesliga games [DLDLD]. Their last match was a hard-fought 3-3 draw against Gladbach, where a goal from Damion Downs in the 79th minute restored parity at Borussia-Park.

With that draw, Köln have 18 points [3W, 9D, 13L], a tally that has only once previously been enough to avoid relegation in the Bundesliga. Putting an end to their five-game winless streak will be the prime objective on Friday night, although they have won only two of their 13 Bundesliga matches against RB Leipzig [2W, 5D, 6L].

Köln’s low-scoring average of 0.76 goals per game leaves them with the worst attacking record in the Bundesliga, having scored 19 goals in 25 matches. This statistic will do little to pose any threat against Leipzig, who average 2.2 goals per game.

Timo Schultz is expected to keep the 4-2-3-1 formation with Sargis Adamyan in attack for this fixture. However, Timo Hübers and Jan Thielmann are both suspended for this clash.

RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig head into the weekend clash against Köln sitting just one point outside the top four, having picked up back-to-back victories. Their recent triumph was a 2-0 win over Darmstadt, bringing their total to 46 points ahead of Friday’s game against the Billy Goats.

Die Roten Bullen, now on a two-game winning streak for the first time this calendar year, are aiming for a third consecutive win. A victory would see Leipzig leapfrog 4th-placed Dortmund, who currently have 47 points and face a tougher fixture against Frankfurt.

However, Leipzig’s form on the road provides some caution; they have only won one of their last five away Bundesliga games. The sole victory was a 4-1 win in their most recent away game against Bochum.

Marco Rose's 4-2-2-2 formation is expected to feature Loïs Openda and Yussuf Poulsen in attack for this fixture. In terms of player availability, Lukas Klostermann and Mohamed Simakan are both ruled out due to injuries.