Will the Werkself retain third place in the Rhineland derby?
In the Bundesliga second-round table, Bayer Leverkusen occupies second place directly behind RB Leipzig. The Werkself secured 17 out of a possible 24 points in the second half of the season and thus consolidated third place in the table, which would enable them to achieve the desired return to the Champions League. However, there are still nine games to go.
With 1. FC Köln, an archrival is now visiting the BayArena, but the Werkself hasn’t had too many problems with them recently. Bayer has won all of its last three home games in a row against the Effzeh. In the run-up to the 26th matchday, the odds are also swinging in the direction of the home side in the Rhineland derby between Leverkusen and Cologne.
However, it should be noted that the Werkself is only ninth in the Bundesliga home table. Moreover, the Rhinelanders have already squandered 15 points after taking the lead, which is only topped by bottom team Fürth (17). However, because the Geißböcke are anything but strong away from home and have only won two of their twelve league matches, the biggest value for Leverkusen against Cologne is still to be found in tip 1.
Leverkusen – statistics & current form
Bayer Leverkusen only finished sixth at the end of the 2020/21 season and accordingly had to make do with the Europa League. There, the Rhinelanders celebrated group victory and still have a realistic chance of reaching the quarterfinals despite a 3-2 defeat in the first leg against Atalanta Bergamo.
Nevertheless, the top objective for the new season was to finish in the top four places in the Bundesliga and to qualify for the top flight in the conventional way via league play, where the journey once took them to the grand final exactly 20 years ago.
Recent three home wins in a row on 12:3 goals
As before, Gerardo Seoane’s men are right on course. Thanks in part to a strong second half that saw them pick up 17 of a possible 24 points, the Werkself are in third place and are now four points clear of fifth.
However, with the in-form Hoffenheim and Leipzig teams within touching distance, the Champions League is still a long way off with nine games to go. Accordingly, a continuation of the recent home series would be important. The Rhinelanders recently won three consecutive home games and scored at least three goals in all three games.
Strong form also thanks to Moussa Diaby
The betting on the next home win for the Seoane eleven at Leverkusen against Cologne is suitably illustrious, especially as Bayer 04 have a red-hot player in their own ranks in the form of the in-form Moussa Diaby in particular, who also scored the important 2:3 equalizer in Lombardy during the week.
Not only has the 22-year-old been involved in six goals (three goals, three assists) in five Bundesliga games against the Geißböcke so far. The lively left winger has also already scored seven Bundesliga goals in the second half of the season, a tally surpassed only by Robert Lewandowski (nine goals).
Predicted Leverkusen lineup:
Hradecky – Bakker – Tapsoba – Tah – Frimpong – Demirbay – Aránguiz – Adli – Wirtz – Diaby – Alario
Last matches played by Leverkusen:
1st Bundesliga
03/13 2022 – Bayer Leverkusen 0 – 1 1. FC Cologne
Europa League Final Stage
03/10 2022 – Atalanta Bergamo 3 – 2 Bayer Leverkusen
1st Bundesliga
03/05 2022 – Bayern Munich 1 – 1 Bayer Leverkusen
02/26 2022 – Bayer Leverkusen 3 – 0 Arminia Bielefeld
02/18 2022 – Mainz 05 3 – 2 Bayer Leverkusen
Cologne – statistics & current form
1. FC Köln is basically playing a very stable season. Under Steffen Baumgart, the Geißböcke reached the round of 16 in the DFB Cup and are in a secure eighth place in the Bundesliga.
With a 13-point lead over the relegation zone, the relegation battle is not even an issue for the Effzeh, who, with only five points behind sixth place, could very well jump on the European train with a corresponding series in the final third of the season.
Won only two of twelve Bundesliga away games
If the home table is anything to go by, the billy goats could even be cautiously eyeing the Champions League.
After all, only three of the 13 home games have been lost. Away from home, however, the Cathedral City team has failed to confirm its form time and again.
The Cologne team scored just twelve points away from home, winning just two of its twelve league matches away from home. In the last away game, the Effzeh even dropped a three-pointer at bottom side Fürth (final score: 1:1).
Already 13 points after falling behind
Even with a view to the fact that not too much was to be gained against the Werkself for the most part, the Baumgart eleven thus comes to the BayArena as underdogs.
At least, however, any deficit should mean very little in this duel. Not only did the Effzeh score 25 of its 36 goals in the second half, but the Cathedral City side has also picked up 13 points from behind, which is only surpassed by Hoffenheim. The red and whites also fought back against the Werkself in the first leg after trailing 0:2 (final score: 2:2).
Predicted lineup of Cologne:
Schwäbe – Hector – Hübers – Kilian – Schmitz – Özcan – Skhiri – Kainz – Duda – Ljubicic – Modeste
Last matches played by Köln:
1st Bundesliga
03/13 2022 – Bayer Leverkusen 0 – 1 1. FC Cologne
03/06 2022 – 1. FC Köln 0 – 1 Hoffenheim
02/26 2022 – Greuther Fürth 1 – 1 1. FC Köln
02/19 2022 – 1. FC Köln 1 – 0 Eintracht Frankfurt
02/11 2022 – RB Leipzig 3 – 1 1. FC Cologne
Leverkusen – Cologne Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 29 – 27 – 18
There have been a total of 74 meetings between the two teams so far and with 29 wins, the Werkself leads the record in the Rhineland derby. Most recently, Bayer remained unbeaten in four consecutive duels with Cologne (three wins, one draw).
Leverkusen – Cologne tip
For Leverkusen against Cologne, the prediction clearly goes to a home win for the Werkself, who are unbeaten in seven Bundesliga home games (five wins, two draws) and have won all of their last three games at the BayArena, scoring 12 goals to 3. This compares to the Geißböcke, who have only won two of their twelve away games in league play and have collected just twelve points away from home in total.
Accordingly, the bet on a home win for the Werkself, who have also won all of their last three home games against the Effzeh, is a good one to play in the Rhineland derby.
