Leon Goretzka is expected to start in his final home appearance for Bayern Munich as they host 1. FC Köln on the final matchday of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. The midfielder will depart Bayern at the end of the season after eight years with the club, and will be given a farewell opportunity in front of the Allianz Arena crowd.
The match also serves as a final preparation for Bayern ahead of next week’s DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart, though head coach Vincent Kompany is expected to manage player fitness carefully with a World Cup on the horizon. Alphonso Davies and Serge Gnabry remain sidelined through injury, but Kompany may rotate the squad to include departing players such as Goretzka and Raphaël Guerreiro.
Meanwhile, 1. FC Köln’s Saïd El Mala is attracting interest from Premier League clubs, potentially making this his final appearance for the Billy Goats. The young forward will be looking to impress against the Bundesliga champions, with Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann reportedly monitoring his performance ahead of naming his squad for the upcoming World Cup.
Speculation surrounding Manuel Neuer’s international future continues, with recent reports indicating the Bayern goalkeeper has been included in Germany’s provisional 55-man World Cup shortlist. There was initial consideration that this Bayern match could be Neuer’s final appearance for the club, but reports now suggest he is prepared to extend his contract for another season. Köln will be without Ragnar Ache and Tom Krauß for the fixture, but their defence is otherwise at full strength.
Bayern’s predicted lineup is Neuer, Stanišić, Upamecano, Tah, Laimer, Kimmich, Goretzka, Olise, Musiala, Díaz, and Kane. Köln are expected to field Schwäbe, Sebulonsen, Simpson-Pusey, Özkacar, Maina, Jóhannesson, Martel, Lund, Kamiński, El Mala, and Bülter. The game represents a chance for both clubs to end the season on a high note, despite the looming departures and transfer speculation.
