1st FC Cologne – Borussia Mönchengladbach
On the 8th matchday of the Bundesliga, there are already a number of exciting games on Friday and Saturday. Nevertheless, on Sunday, especially in the Rhineland, the great Rhineland derby will be watched with great attention. In the afternoon, this match will bring a fair amount of excitement and intensity, both because of its historical significance and from a sporting perspective. Find out which team will win this heated duel in our Cologne – Gladbach tip.
However, we should not expect a footballing treat in this duel. On the one hand, 1. FC Köln is the current last team in the Bundesliga. Coach Steffen Baumgart’s team has only scored a meager four goals this season. Before the international break, FC also had no chance in the other Rhineland duel against Leverkusen and lost 0:3.
On the other hand, the visitors from Gladbach have not had a good start to the season either. The Foals have only managed one win in their first seven games. Before the international break, Borussia drew 2-2 with Mainz in a game in which they could have done much better.
Cologne – Gladbach info:
- Date & Time: 10/22/2023, 3:30 p.m.
- Game venue: RheinEnergieSTADION, Cologne
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 8.
- TV broadcast: DAZN
Cologne form & balance check
Even before the start of the season, supporters of 1. FC Köln were aware that their team would probably not show spectacular soccer this season and fight for places in European competitions. Instead, the Geißböcke’ stated goal was to once again avoid relegation to the 2nd Bundesliga.
So far, however, the team under the leadership of coach Steffen Baumgart has often presented itself like a true relegation candidate. After seven matchdays, FC is still waiting for its first win of the season and occupies last place in the table with one point. Before the international break, the Geißböcke suffered a clear defeat against league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, which ended 0:3.
Crosses without a taker
The fans of 1. FC Köln did not see good games on the field in the recent past. Cologne’s tactics mainly relied on their tackling and heading strengths. Therefore, it is not surprising that FC have hit by far the most crosses out of the game so far with a number of 102.
With just 44 percent possession, FC also even has the second-lowest figure in the entire Bundesliga. Goal-scoring is also often lacking on the Rhine, as the Cologne team has the worst attack in the entire league with only four goals scored. In this respect, the utilization of chances is a particularly big problem. FC scored a total of 4.49 goals less than the xG value, which is by far the worst value in the Bundesliga.
Cologne facts & analysis
- Best offense in the Bundesliga.
- Last in Bundesliga table
- Lost 0:3 in Leverkusen before the international break
Gladbach form & balance check
Gladbach Borussia wanted to make a fresh start in the new season. After the VfL in the preseason in the dreary table midfield herumdrummpelt, it should be much better with the new coach Gerardo Seoane. However, things did not go as smoothly as expected at the start of the season.
After the first five games, in which Gladbach faced Leverkusen, Bayern and Leipzig, among others, Borussia was in 15th place with two points. Most recently, however, there were two stronger games against Bochum and Mainz. The Foals picked up four points from these two games, although much more would have been possible in the 2-2 draw against Mainz.
The three-man backline helps
In the first games of the season, Borussia always operated with a back four under new coach Seoane. After the disastrous first half in the away game in Darmstadt, however, the 44-year-old switched to a three-man chain. This change bore immediate fruit.
First, Gladbach played a strong second half, in which the Foals still managed to pull out a 3:3. And in the next game against Leipzig, Borussia looked much more stable, even if it wasn’t enough for points in the end. Against Bochum and Mainz, the positive trend finally continued. And Gladbach now wants to continue the positive trend against Cologne as well.
Gladbach facts & analysis
- In 12th place in the Bundesliga
- Still without defeat away from home in the Bundesliga season
- Played 2-2 against Mainz before the international break.
Predicted lineup – last update on October 21, 2023
For 1. FC Köln, we are again going with the 4-1-3-2. Attacker Luca Waldschmidt will be available again for the Geißböcken in the derby. He will probably start next to Davie Selke in the forward line. Whether Maina can play from the start is rather unlikely.
Borussia from Mönchengladbach, on the other hand, will again go into the game with a 3-5-2. We assume that Manu Koné will move back into the starting lineup of the Foals and act alongside Weigl and Neuhaus in the center. Meanwhile, center-back Ko Itakura is the only professional in the Bundesliga with four yellow cards already and would be suspended after the next caution.
Cologne – Gladbach direct comparison & statistics
There have already been a total of 130 encounters in the prestigious Rhineland derby between 1. FC Köln and Borussia Mönchengladbach. Gladbach has won 61 of these duels, while FC Köln has emerged victorious 45 times. However, the most recent clash between these two sides ended in a draw, with the score 0-0.
- Both stadiums are located only 44 kilometers from each other
- Gladbach won only one of last five games against Cologne
- Both teams are separated by five points in the league
