FC Koln vs Partizan prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-10-05 19:00.
Cologne’s season appears to be going from strength to strength, with a spirited 3-2 comeback victory over Borussia Dortmund last time out enough to lift them into the Bundesliga’s top seven. Steffen Baumgart’s men have now lost just one of their last nine games in all competitions (W4, D4) and the goals have been flowing, scoring 3+ goals four times in that run.
The Billy Goats also lead UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL) Group D, remaining the only side to win a game heading into matchday three. After a positive start to just their second European group stage this century, progression to the knockout stages could now hinge on their home form. The RheinEnergieStadion has been far from a fortress this season though, with Cologne winning just half of their games on home soil this term (W3, D1, L2).
Standing in their way will be Partizan Belgrade, who remain unbeaten themselves in the UECL group stage this term, being held to draws in both of their opening group games. Despite that, a leaky defence has been a big issue for the Serbian outfit in this competition so far and they’ve conceded seven goals in their last three games, including a pair of 3-3 draws!
Domestically, scoring has been of no issue to Partizan though, coming into this clash on the back of four consecutive league wins while averaging 4.25 goals per game. Their form in the Serbian top-flight has been spectacular for a while now, suffering just two defeats from their last 48 games (W38, D8), so translating that to European action could be key on their travels to Germany.
Players to watch: Cologne midfielder Florian Kainz, who scored against Dortmund on Saturday, has lost just one of his 13 goalscoring appearances for the club (W9, D3). The Austrian can’t match the exploits of Partizan’s Bibras Natcho though, as the veteran has directly contributed to a goal in seven of his last eight games (G7, A2).
Hot stat: Cologne have a tremendous home record in European competitions, winning 53 of their 73 outings as the hosts (D9, L11).