Bundesliga – Cologne vs. Leverkusen in the live ticker: kick-off!
5 minutesWirtz drives the ball through midfield for the first time and is accompanied by whistles from the stands. The youngster then looks for Schick with a pass to the top, but it is played too steeply and Horn is there.
3rd minuteLeverkusen with slight problems in building up the game, but Tah and Hincapie can iron out Andrich’s wobbly again. We are still waiting for the first degree.
Before the game startsReferee Felix Zwayer leads the teams onto the field while the Cologne anthem is thrown from tens of thousands of throats. The setting for a fast-paced game is perfect.
Before the game startsFlorian Wirtz played in the youth department of 1. FC Cologne for almost ten years before moving to Bayer Leverkusen on the other side of the Rhine in winter 2020. In the Bundesliga he won his two games against the former club and scored the 4-0 final score in the last duel between the two in the RheinEnergie Stadium.
Before the game startsBayer 04 Leverkusen are unbeaten in guest appearances in the current Bundesliga season (three wins, one draw) and have won all of the last three BL games abroad. Against Cologne, Werkself coach Gerardo Seoane could become the Werkself’s first coach since Jupp Heynckes in 2009 to go undefeated in his first five Bundesliga guest games.
Before the game startsAt home, 1. FC Köln have been unbeaten in the Bundesliga for five games (four wins, one draw) – the last time they had a long undefeated home series was under Peter Stöger from 2016 to 2017 (twelve games). In the first four home games under Steffen Baumgart, the Effzeh scored nine goals with a goal average of 2.25 – the highest goal average in the first four home games as Cologne coach since Rinus Michels in 1980 (3.5).
Before the game startsFor the first time in the current Bundesliga season, 1. FC Köln did not score a goal in the 0: 5 defeat against TSG Hoffenheim, after the Domstadt team had previously scored at least one goal in the last eight games in the upper house, two in a row without success, the Effzeh remain last in the Bundesliga in February of this year.
Before the game startsSince the turn of the millennium, 1. FC Köln have lost seven out of 14 Bundesliga home games against Bayer 04 Leverkusen (three wins, four draws), only against Bayern have the Effzeh conceded more Bundesliga home bankruptcies during this period (twelve). Of the previous 19 Bundesliga home games against the Werkself, Cologne lost only two (eight wins, nine draws).
Before the game startsGerardo Seoane changes three times after the 1: 1 in the Europa League at Betis Sevilla: The spared Kossounou, Wirtz and Schick return, but Tapsoba, Adli and Alario have to give way.
Before the game startsThis is how Leverkusen begins: Hradecky – Frimpong, Kossounou, Tah, Hincapie – Andrich, Demirbay – Bellarabi, Wirtz, Diaby – Schick.
Before the game startsSteffen Baumgart makes four changes compared to the 5-0 defeat in Hoffenheim. The Hector, which is assumed in Sinsheim, runs from the start, as do Duda, Ljubicic and Kilian. Andersson, Thielmann, Ehizibue and Mere initially sit outside.
Before the game startsThis is how Cologne began: Horn – Schmitz, Kilian, Czichos, Hector – Özcan – Ljubicic, Duda, Kainz – Modeste, Uth.
Before the game startsWelcome to the Bundesliga for the 9th matchday between 1. FC Köln and Bayer Leverkusen.
6th minuteModeste plays a bad pass at the center line and then things move quickly at Bayer. Diaby dribbles through the center and puts half left on Schick, who closes from the edge of the sixteen, but Horn is in the threatened corner and holds the ball.