1st FC Cologne – Eintracht Frankfurt
This week’s top match of the Bundesliga takes us to the west of Cologne. There, 1. FC Köln will host Eintracht Frankfurt. Both teams have three important points at stake, even if their objectives for the season are completely different. Find out which team will give their fans a happy Saturday evening in our Cologne – Frankfurt betting tip.
The hosts will be looking for their first win of the new year. However, Cologne have not achieved much against the current top six in the table so far this season. In the seven encounters so far, the goal difference is 1:18 and only one point, which the Effzeh won in the first leg against Frankfurt.
However, Eintracht from the Main would like to avoid losing a point in the cathedral city at all costs. In their last away game against a cellar dweller, however, SGE also failed to get past Darmstadt with a 2-2 draw. However, the draw against the Lilies was the only point loss in the last four games
Cologne – Frankfurt info
- Date & Time: 03.02.2024, 18:30 hrs.
- Playing venue: RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 20
- TV broadcast: Sky
Cologne Form & Balance Check
The hosts from Cologne are in a difficult situation and are fighting hard against relegation to Bundesliga 2 this season. Before the winter break, the Geißböcke only managed ten points, which in the end even led to the departure of long-time successful coach Steffen Baumgart.
Under his successor Timo Schultz, the cathedral city team have only suffered one defeat since the turn of the year, but have yet to win. In the previous week, however, Cologne fought out a 1-1 draw at VfL Wolfsburg to climb out of the direct relegation zone and into the relegation places
Alidou wants to know
Cologne will again be without two of their top scorers Davie Selke and Luca Waldschmidt this weekend. Together, these two players have been involved in 58% of Cologne’s goals so far. In the previous week, however, Faride Alidou scored his first goal in a Goat jersey.
Saturday’s clash is also a very special one for the attacking player. The 22-year-old is currently on loan to Cologne from SGE and will therefore be playing against his actual employer at the weekend. Last season, he played 15 Bundesliga games for Eintracht vom Main, every single one as a substitute, without scoring a goal
Cologne facts & analysis
- Cologne haven’t won in 7 games.
- 1. FC Köln have failed to score in 4 of their 9 home games in the Bundesliga this season.
- 1. FC Köln have conceded a goal in each of their last 6 matches.
Frankfurt Form & Balance Check
The SGE underwent a considerable upheaval in the summer, which intensified in the winter. The results in the first half of the season were therefore rather mixed for the Adler. Eintracht even lost six of their last eight competitive matches before the winter break. Despite this, they reached the knockout phase of the Conference League and also finished a solid 6th in the league.
After the turn of the year, however, at least the results on the Main improved. The team from Frankfurt have picked up seven points from their first three games so far, securing 6th place. In the previous week, however, Eintracht again struggled against the relegation candidates from Mainz and only won in the closing stages with a header from Götze.
Skhiri returns
Spectators at the Müngersdorfer Stadion can expect a reunion with Ellyes Skhiri next Saturday. The Tunisian player moved from Cologne to Frankfurt before this season, having previously played 118 Bundesliga games for the Effzeh, scoring 17 goals in the process. Last season, he was even the top scorer for the Geißböcke with seven goals.
And the 28-year-old is also absolutely indispensable for SGE this season. However, Eintracht had to make do without the defensive midfielder in the first games of the new year, as he was away at the Africa Cup with his home country. However, as the North Africans failed to reach the group stage of the tournament, the midfield engine is now back with the SGE team
Frankfurt facts & analysis
- Eintracht Frankfurt’s away record this season: 3 wins – 4 draws – 3 defeats.
- Eintracht Frankfurt have scored in each of their last 5 games.
- Eintracht Frankfurt’s current performance in the Bundesliga is better than that of 1. FC Köln.
Predicted line-up – last update on February 1, 2024
We’re assuming a 4-2-3-1 for Cologne again on Saturday. The attackers Selke, Waldschmidt and Uth will still be out injured. Chabot and Ljubicic are also currently on four yellow cards and are therefore on the brink of suspension.
We expect a back three for the visitors from Frankfurt. Farès Chaïbi and Ellyes Skhiri are likely to be back in the starting eleven after returning from the Africa Cup. Whether Omar Marmoush is fit again will be decided in the short term. Willian Pacho, however, will be missing with a yellow card suspension
Cologne – Frankfurt head-to-head & stats
The duel between 1. FC Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt has already taken place 113 times. The cathedral city side have won 42 of these encounters, while SGE have claimed 37 three-pointers. However, Frankfurt’s last win in Cologne was on 20.09.2017.
- The home record of the last 20 matches between 1. FC Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt is: 12 wins, 5 draws and 3 defeats. The goal difference: 36-15 for 1. FC Köln.
- A year ago, 1. FC Köln were 11th in the table with 23 points. They are currently in 16th position (12th).
- A year ago, 1. FC Köln were 11th in the table with 23 points. They are currently in 16th position (12th).
- On average, 1. FC Köln scores 1.4 goals against Eintracht Frankfurt and Eintracht Frankfurt scores 0.6 goals against 1. FC Köln.
- FC Köln scores an average of 1.09 goals when playing at home and Eintracht Frankfurt scores an average of 1.72 goals when playing away (on average).
