Union Berlin vs FC Koln prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2023-12-19 17:30.
Union Berlin missed the chance to strengthen their survival bid over the weekend as they fell to a 3-0 defeat away to fellow strugglers Bochum. With just a point keeping them off the foot of the table coming into this last round before the winter break, it’s fair to say this season so far has been a disaster for Union after they finished fourth in the Bundesliga last term. Failure to win a single game in the Champions League and their subsequent exit from European competition might turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Nenad Bjelica’s side, giving them the chance to focus on domestic matters.
Things never looked like getting so bad after Union won their opening two league games this term, but just one win from 12 Bundesliga games since (D1, L10) sees them justifiably struggling. If there's any solace Union can take from that wretched run, it’s perhaps that both those avoidances of defeat came in their last two home league outings, which hints at shoots of recovery at Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
They’ll hope to see their revival continue against a Cologne side who have never beaten them in the top-flight (D2, L6). The Billy Goats showed few signs of making a revival of their own over the weekend, going down 2-0 to Freiburg, a result which actually saw them fall back below Union in the table and into the relegation play-off spot ahead of the round.
That stretched their torrid run to one win from seven Bundeliga games (D3, L3), and with none of the last six seeing more than two match goals, Cologne aren’t particularly a premier pick if it’s entertainment you’re after. That’s in keeping with the fact Steffen Baumgart’s side are the lowest scorers in the division with just ten goals this season, with their only two away league strikes since the start of October coming after the break.
Players to watch: A fan of home comforts, Kevin Volland has scored in Union’s last three games in all competitions in which they’ve hosted. Cologne’s go-to man on the road, Davie Selke has scored their last three Bundesliga away goals.
Hot stat: Ahead of the round, no Bundesliga side has conceded more home goals after the 75th minute than Union’s six.