Bayer Leverkusen vs FC Koln prediction: GERMANY: DFB Pokal betting tips on match 2025-02-04 19:45.
[p]Reigning Bundesliga champions and current DFB-Pokal holders Bayer Leverkusen are aiming to move one step closer to securing back-to-back cups for the first time ever. Xabi Alonso’s men look well-placed to do so having extended their unbelievable Bundesliga form to one defeat in 54 games over the weekend to keep the pressure on leaders Bayern, who are coincidentally the side they knocked out in the previous round of this competition.[/p]
[p]That 1-0 win means that Leverkusen have yet to concede a goal in this season’s Pokal (W3) and leaves them as the outright favourites to ultimately lift the trophy. Standing in their way of consecutive semi-finals for the first time since 2002/03 are second-tier outfit Cologne, a side Leverkusen defeated without reply in both Bundesliga H2Hs last season, although the rank outsiders did win in two of their last three visits to the BayArena. [/p]
[p]Despite being relegated last term, Cologne appear well-placed to make an immediate top-flight return after maintaining their slender grip on an automatic promotion spot with victory over the weekend. The quarter-final of this competition represents Cologne’s deepest run since being eliminated by a 2-0 scoreline at this stage in 2009/10, whilst the last time they went any further saw Leverkusen knock them out after extra time in 2001/02.[/p]
[p]Cologne’s route to the quarters has been fairly fortuitous in terms of the teams they’ve faced, with the toughest test on paper coming in their 3-0 win over relegation-bound Bundesliga side Holstein Kiel. This will surely be a much tougher test for the Billy Goats, who have faced Leverkusen three times in this competition over the years with all three games ultimately seeing the home team on the day triumph by exactly a two-goal margin (COL: W1, L2). [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick leads the way for his side in this competition with two goals, with the Czech forward also hitting his last four Pokal goal contributions at home (G3, A1). Linton Maina has made three goal contributions for Cologne during their run to the quarters (G1, A2), whilst his last three competitive goals for the club all came away from home. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Five of Cologne’s last seven DFB-Pokal matches required extra time (three) or penalties (two) to decide the winner. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Matthew Billon[/i][/p]