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Union Berlin – 1. FC Köln
The Bundesliga has again some interesting matches at the start this weekend. This Saturday afternoon, the Bundesliga conference will once again consist of five exciting games. In Köpenick, then, the Eisernen are looking to get back on track after their defeat at Bayern. The opponent at 3:30 pm comes from the cathedral city. Whether the team of coach Urs Fischer will continue to remain without defeat in the Bundesliga at home, you can find out in our Union vs Cologne tip.
Last weekend, the record champions from Munich showed the Eisern a bit of their limits. Nevertheless, Union is still high up in the table. The team from Köpenick is currently in third place and heading straight for qualification for the Champions League.
1. FC Köln, on the other hand, is currently only twelfth in the table. Accordingly, FC will have less to do with the European places this season. In the new year, the Geißböcken have only managed two victories. In the previous week, they even suffered their first home defeat since the beginning of November. FC lost 2-0 against Wolfsburg.
Union – Cologne Info:
– Date & Time: 04.03.2023, 15:30 hrs.
– Venue: Stadion An der Alten Försterei, Berlin
– Competition: Bundesliga, 23rd matchday
– TV broadcast: Sky
Union Form & Balance Check
Union Berlin’s season has resembled a fairytale so far. The Köpenicker are in the thick of things in the Bundesliga and most recently won against Ajax Amsterdam in the intermediate round of the Europa League. In next week’s round of 16, Union will once again face Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, against whom the Eisernen already played in the group stage.
In the Bundesliga, however, the Union fairytale suffered a setback last Sunday. In the top match in Munich, the Köpenicker were without a chance and lost 0:3. It was the first defeat in a competitive match for the Eisernen in the new year. Nevertheless, coach Urs Fischer’s team is still in an outstanding third place, three points behind Bayern and Dortmund.
Festung Alte Försterei
The Eisernen of Union Berlin will certainly be delighted to be able to play in their beloved stadium, the Alte Försterei, again this coming Saturday. This venue is unique and its close atmosphere seems to give Union’s players a special home advantage. So far this season, Union has only suffered one home defeat and that was against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on the first matchday of the Europa League.
Union’s defence, in particular, is just that little bit better at home and hardly gives their opponents any chances. The Köpenicker have already played 16 competitive matches at home this season and have conceded only eleven goals. The Alte Försterei is thus a fortress that is difficult for opposing teams to overcome.
Union facts & analysis
– Currently in third place in the Bundesliga table.
– Second best defence in the Bundesliga
– Still without a home defeat this Bundesliga season
Cologne form & balance check
This season has not been a smooth one for 1. FC Köln. The team from the Rhine was eliminated in the group stage of the UEFA Conference League and after a strong start to the season, things didn’t go so well in the Bundesliga at the end of the first half. In the last five games before the winter break, coach Steffen Baumgart’s team only picked up one point.
But in the new year, FC showed a much improved performance again and won the first matchday of the year with an outstanding 7:1 against Werder Bremen. The Cologne team also remained unbeaten in the first five games of 2023. Most recently, however, the cathedral cities suffered two defeats in a row. Last Saturday, FC lost 2-0 to VfL Wolfsburg, and Cologne are currently in twelfth place in the table.
Cologne’s injury plight
Currently, 1. FC Köln are missing nine players from their professional squad due to injury. Especially behind the front line, coach Steffen Baumgart is slowly running out of options. Denis Huseinbasic, Florian Kainz and Jan Thielmann were recently absent against Wolfsburg. It is still unclear who of the three will be fit for action again against Union.
Mark Uth, who could play one of these positions, has also been missing from the Geißböcken for almost the entire season. Whether the 31-year-old will be used again this season is questionable. After all, Dimitrios Limnios celebrated his comeback from a cruciate ligament rupture with the second team at the weekend.
Cologne facts & analysis
– Currently in twelfth place in the Bundesliga table.
– Only one away win in the season
– Top scorer is Florian Kainz with five goals and six assists
Predicted line-up – last update on 3 March 2023
Union will again start the game against FC in their usual 3-1-4-2. The defence is well-rehearsed and will remain unchanged. Khedira will again be the central figure on the six in midfield. Juranovic will probably rotate in for captain Trimmel on the right rail. Urs Fischer will only have to do without András Schäfer due to injury.
Since Köln are slowly running out of players behind the tops due to injuries, we think FC will again operate with a 4-4-2. Selke will keep his place up top. Sargis Adamyan could move into the starting eleven for the recently pale Tigges. With Kilian, Pedersen, Schmitz, Huseinbasic, Kainz, Thielmann, Uth, Andersson and Dietz, Cologne’s medical list now includes nine players.
Union – Cologne direct comparison & Statistics
There have been 15 duels between Union and Cologne in the first and second divisions so far. The Eisernen won eight encounters and the FC only five. The Köpenicker won the first leg 1-0. After Cologne had won five of the first six duels against Union, FC is now winless against the Eisernen for nine games.
– Both teams are separated by 17 points in the league.
– Cologne’s last win against Union was on 11.04.2014.
– Union Berlin win only 39% of the halves.
– When Cologne lead 1-0 in away games, they win 75% of the games
