Köln face Leverkusen in crucial Rhine derby with survival and Europe at stake
1. FC Köln host Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday in a Bundesliga Rhine derby with high stakes at both ends of the table. Köln, unbeaten in their last five league matches, need points to secure their top-flight status, while sixth-placed Leverkusen are aiming to close a four-point gap to the Champions League places.
According to the pre-match briefing, Köln will be without striker Ragnar Ache, who suffered a season-ending injury in last week's 1-1 draw with St. Pauli. His likely replacement is Marius Bülter, who has scored only three goals this season, with his last league strike coming on matchday 11. The club is also missing defenders Luca Kilian and Timo Hübers, while midfielder Eric Martel is one yellow card away from a suspension.
The predicted lineup for Köln shows a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Marvin Schwäbe in goal and Said El Mala, who made headlines for his selflessness in awarding a penalty to Luca Waldschmidt last week, partnering Bülter up front. A victory would mark Köln's first derby win since 2023, having lost the last four meetings between the sides.
For Bayer Leverkusen, the match comes after a difficult week featuring a 2-1 league loss to Augsburg and a DFB-Pokal semi-final defeat to Bayern Munich. Despite this, striker Patrik Schick has been a consistent performer, netting 11 Bundesliga goals this season, including the opener in the loss to Augsburg.
Head coach Kasper Hjulmand emphasized the importance of the fixture, stating, “The team and everyone at the club know how important the derby is. We have four games left and we'll do everything we can to win them.” Leverkusen will be without the injured Arthur, Martin Terrier—who scored in the reverse fixture—and Christian Kofane.
With crucial fixtures against Stuttgart and Leipzig still to come, Leverkusen's hopes of a top-four finish could hinge on securing a positive result in Cologne. For the hosts, a win would provide a significant boost in their battle to avoid relegation, making this derby a pivotal encounter for both clubs as the season reaches its climax.
