FC Koln vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2024-03-02 14:30.
Sunday’s double-header of Bundesliga games kicks off in Cologne, where the beleaguered hosts will look to overcome a side who sit a staggering 44 points ahead of them in the table, unbeaten league leaders Bayer Leverkusen. In stark contrast to their visitors, the Billy Goats are well and truly in a relegation scrap after a run of just one league win across the previous ten rounds (D5, L4).
Turning those draws into victories will be key to ensuring a sixth successive season in the top-flight, and two wins across their last four meetings with Leverkusen may give cause for cautious optimism. But any hopeful feelings may soon be dashed if the story of their season is anything to go by though, as Cologne have lost without reply in all but one of their games against sides beginning the round in the top five (D1, L5).
Whilst the future of Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso continues to dominate the headlines, the primary concern for the club will be taking another step towards a first-ever Bundesliga crown after five prior runners-up finishes earned them their unfortunate “Eternal Bridesmaids” nickname. Shedding that tag seems highly likely this season, as Alonso has his men on a German record 33-game competitive unbeaten run spanning across the entire season.
As such, nothing short of another positive result will be expected here as Leverkusen look to build on an incredible return of 29 away points from a possible 33 (W9, D2). Both of their victories against the other two sides occupying the bottom three came without reply and by a multiple-goal margin, whilst the fact that two-thirds of their away league wins came having also led at half-time suggests this could be yet another dominant showing.
Key battle: Cologne midfielder Eric Martel scored a crucial equaliser last time out, but his primary concern will be to try to keep a second clean sheet in what will be ten appearances. Trying to stop such an outcome will be Jonas Hofmann, the midfield man who scored first and assisted the final goal in Leverkusen’s 3-0 reverse victory.
Hot stat: Cologne have won just one of their last 40 games against a Bundesliga leader (D9, L30), and not since beating Schalke in 2008.