FC Koln vs RB Leipzig prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2023-02-03 14:30.
A rejuvenated Cologne will hope they are on course for a second successive top-half finish in the Bundesliga after an impressive three game unbeaten run since the World Cup (W1, D2). The Billy Goats had plummeted down the table thanks to a run of five defeats in seven league outings (W1, D1) prior to Qatar 2022, but back-to-back draws on the road, including against league leaders Bayern Munich, has them moving in the right direction.
The latter of those results, a 0-0 stalemate with Schalke, saw Cologne register their first clean sheet in 14 league outings, but drew criticism from some supporters as they failed to break down the division’s bottom club. Head of first team football Thomas Kessler reminded fans “we have to work hard for every point,” as Cologne now target successive Bundesliga shut-outs for the first time since May 2021.
Recent form dictates achieving that against visitors RB Leipzig is unlikely, given the Red Bulls arrive at the RheinEnergieStadion having netted in 11 successive unbeaten league outings (W8, D3). Leipzig’s total of 39 Bundesliga strikes this season is actually only bettered by Bayern, with Marco Rose’s side scoring at least twice in eight of their last nine league fixtures (W7, D2).
Sitting just two points off top spot ahead of the round after defeating Stuttgart 2-1, fans might be starting to dream of a first German title. They have been dealt a blow by losing Dani Olmo to a thigh injury, but Rose decided against any transfer deadline day business, concluding he was happy with his squad after stating that the club had “studied viable possibilities but decided not to do anything.”
Key battle: Cologne defender Jonas Hector netted one of his three career braces against RB Leipzig during a 2-1 win in April 2021, one of two victories in ten personal H2H meetings (D4, L4). He may be looking to thwart forward André Silva, who netted twice in a 6-1 demolition of Schalke in January, and has lost just two of his 13 goalscoring league appearances for the Red Bulls (W9, D2).
Hot stat: Ten of the 11 H2H meetings between these two sides have seen both teams score.