Di match between 1. FC Köln and Bayer 04 Leverkusen na one wey don happen 73 times for Bundesliga before. But dis time, di brisance high: both teams must win to reach dia season goals.
Di two clubs dey separated by just 22 kilometers and one river crossing. For football language, dis na classic derby. But 1. FC Köln wey get tradition, dey see di game against old rival Borussia Mönchengladbach as dia real derby. If you ask a Köln fan, dem go call Leverkusen match more like neighborhood duel.
For di Bundesliga record, Leverkusen dey clear: 30 wins, Kölin get 18, and 25 matches end draw. Dis Saturday, di table position make di match clear: both need win. For Köln, dem dey play at home for Müngersdorfer Stadion to create more space between dem and relegation zone. Leverkusen need 12 points from remaining four matches to still get chance for fourth place and Champions League qualification.
Köln don change coach for dis threatening situation. New coach René Wagner get good record: 2-2 draw with Frankfurt, 3-1 win against Bremen, and 1-1 draw at St. Pauli. Wagner talk before match against Leverkusen wey dey sixth for table: I believe Leverkusen always get problems with intensity. So we must dare to choose right methods for our stadium. We go play intense, keep ball, make runs wide.
For Leverkusen side, coach Kasper Hjulmand still dey for office but rumors dey fly about successors. Fabian Hürzeler na one name; he dey coach Brighton & Hove Albion for Premier League. Dem dey yarn say Hjulmand get problems with player communication. But Bayer Leverkusen Sport-Geschäftsführer Simon Rolfes deny any talk about job. He say: I no dey spend time with thoughts like dat. I focus to win next match. From when I wake up till I sleep, every breath I dey think how to help team win remaining four games.
Leverkusen remaining matches include games against Leipzig, Stuttgart (direct rivals for fourth place), and Hamburger SV. To get 12 points from dis tough fixtures na hard task. Especially after Bayer 04 play weak and harmless for DFB-Pokal semi-final against Bayern Munich, losing 2-0. Munich wanted to reach final again for first time since 2020.
While Wagner dey make good impression with his leadership and style, Hjulmand dey talk about development wey some for club no see. He say: It sounds like I dey defend myself. But the goal na to produce more chances than opponent. There few matches where we no do that. But what matter na positive results, as Wagner predecessor Lukas Kwasniok know well. And Leverkusen dey lack results now.
Köln dey come for dis match with good form: five Bundesliga matches without loss, best since more than three years under Steffen Baumgart. For longer streak, you go check history books almost ten years back: winter of 2016/17 season under Peter Stöger, FC get six matches without defeat.
Leverkusen also get streak of seven unbeaten games before last matchday where dem lose 2-1 at home to Augsburg. Bitter thing: Leverkusen set new league-wide season record for shots on target for that match but still no get points. Now Champions League places dey further away.
Köln get ability to fight back: for 1-1 draw at St. Pauli last match, FC get point for tenth time dis season after falling behind. Only Bayern get better record. Nine times dem draw, and for home match against Mainz dem even win after trailing. Dis na best value for FC since 34 years. For 1991/92 season, dem turn 12 deficits into points.
One reason for many comebacks na substitutes. Luca Waldschmidt score twelfth Köln joker goal dis season, wey be club record. FC get many more goals from substitutes than Leverkusen (7). Waldschmidt come from bench for 15 of 21 appearances, get seven scorer points in 553 minutes. Every 79 minutes he dey directly involve for a goal. With Ragnar Ache out, Waldschmidt qualities go become more important.
For Leverkusen side, Patrik Schick dey in good form. He score four goals in last four matches. His goal against Augsburg na his 22nd header goal for Bundesliga, best among all active players.
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