Union Berlin – 1. FC Köln
The 2nd Bundesliga already had its last matchday of the year at the weekend and is now in the winter break. In the Bundesliga, however, nine more games are scheduled during the week. In Köpenick on Wednesday, two teams will face each other who are desperate to avoid being relegated to the German basement. Find out who will come out on top in this basement duel in our Union – Cologne betting tip.
The clash between FCU and the Billy Goats is also a clash between two neighbors in the table. While the Köpenickers are at home in 15th place, the Domstädter are one place further down in 16th.
At the weekend, however, the two rivals suffered a significant setback in their fight for survival. While Union went down 3-0 in Bochum, FC suffered a 2-0 defeat at SC Freiburg. After the two defeats in the previous week, both teams are now on ten points
Union – Cologne Info:
- Date & Time: 20.12.2023, 6:30 pm
- Playing venue: Stadion An der Alten Försterei, Berlin
- Competition: Bundesliga, matchday 16
- TV broadcast: Sky
Union Form & Balance Check
In the summer, Union started this historic season with a lot of euphoria. For the first time in the club’s history, the Ironmen were involved in the Champions League. However, their trip to the top flight ended with last place in Group C and thus elimination from Europe.
And things are also going anything but smoothly for FCU in the Bundesliga. The Köpenickers have picked up just ten points from their first 15 games, leaving them in 15th place. Union’s previous worst tally after the first 15 Bundesliga games was 20 points. Union also failed to score at the weekend, as FCU lost 3-0 in Bochum
Rarely in front
In pre-season, Union often danced with the razor’s edge, which the Iron often won. The Köpenickers usually had a bit of luck in those games and thus scored almost 16 points more than expected in the pre-season. The Irons took the lead 1:0 a total of 18 times in the pre-season.
FCU went on to win an impressive 14 of these 18 matches. But defending a lead doesn’t seem to be the biggest problem for the Irons this season either. So far this season, the Köpenickers have taken a 1-0 lead three times in the Bundesliga. And FCU have won every single one of these three games
Union facts & analysis
- In 15th place in the Bundesliga table
- Third most goals conceded in the Bundesliga
- Without defeat in two home games in the league
Cologne Form & Balance Check
So far this season, things are not going particularly well for 1. FC Köln. The team from the Rhine just can’t get going and have only managed two wins so far this Bundesliga season. There was no further three-pointer at the weekend either. Coach Steffen Baumgart’s team were up against SC Freiburg and lost narrowly 2-0 in the end.
It was the 9th defeat for the cathedral city side this season. Previously, however, the Billy Goats had only conceded one defeat in five games. Cologne are now in 16th place in the table with ten points and, as things stand now, would face HSV in the relegation play-off
Chance proliferation on the Rhine
The Geißböcke already had a few problems in front of goal in pre-season. Cologne repeatedly had phases in which the opposing goal seemed to be jinxed. At the end of the season, Cologne had scored a total of 49 goals. After the first 15 games of the season, however, Cologne’s tally is even more disastrous.
FC have only scored ten goals so far and thus have the weakest offense in the entire Bundesliga. However, the Billy Goats have created a number of scoring chances. The cathedral city team currently has 8.84 goals fewer than the xG value would suggest. This means that FC have the biggest discrepancy in this area in the league
Cologne facts & analysis
- In 16th place in the Bundesliga table
- First away win of the season
- Badest offense in the league
Predicted line-up – last update on December 19, 2023
We expect to see a 4-2-3-1 formation again on Wednesday, although Köpenick will be without Robin Gosens for the last game of the year due to injury. We expect to see Kevin Behrens back in the starting line-up.
We also expect Cologne to adopt a 4-2-3-1 formation. In central defense, however, FC will not have Jeff Chabot available on Wednesday, who was sent off in Freiburg. Leart Paqarada is also missing through injury
Union – Cologne head-to-head & stats
Union and Cologne have faced each other 16 times in the top two German soccer leagues. The Ironmen have emerged victorious eight times, while FC have triumphed just five times. However, the last meeting ended goalless. After Cologne won five of the first six encounters against Union, FC have now gone ten games without a win against the Irons
- Both teams are level on points in the league
- Cologne’s last win against Union on 11.04.2014
- Union Berlin win only 28% of halves
