Will the in-form Fuggerstädter also score in Cologne?
After a great start to the season, 1. FC Köln recently experienced a very bitter week and a half. As leaders in the Conference League, the Geißböcke lost both group games against Partizan Belgrade, which means that they are currently only in third place. To make matters worse, they suffered a hefty defeat in the Rhineland derby at arch-rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach (2:5).
After losing three competitive games in a row, they now face another fearful opponent. The Cathedral City team has not won a match against FC Augsburg in seven home games (three draws, four defeats). Nevertheless, in the run-up to the league match between Cologne and Augsburg, the odds are swinging in favour of the home side.
To make matters worse, however, FCA will be travelling to the match in very good form. The Fuggerstädter recently picked up ten of a possible twelve points in league play. No other Bundesliga team has recorded a similarly good haul on the last four match days. Accordingly, the Bavarian Swabians could be in with a chance at the Rheinenergiestadion despite the tight personnel situation.
The best value for Cologne against Augsburg is to bet on the Fuggerstädter winning at least one of the two halves.
Cologne – Statistics & current form
As a founding member of the Bundesliga, 1. FC Köln was initially part of the Beletage of German football for 35 years without interruption before the Geißböcke advanced to the lift team with their first relegation in 1998. Since then, the cathedral city has been relegated from the Bundesliga six times.
Most recently, in the summer of 2019, the Effzeh returned to the top flight of German football for the sixth time, where after surviving the relegation at the end of the 2020/21 season, things started to look up under Steffen Baumgart.
Three competitive match defeats in a row
Seventh in the pre-season, the Cathedral City side qualified for the Conference League, where they got off to a promising start with four points out of a possible six from their first two group games. At the same time, the Effzeh lost only one of their first eight league games and were once again on course for an international spot in the Bundesliga.
But then, in the last week and a half, things really got out of hand. Cologne lost three games in a row and not only slipped to third place in Conference League Group D, but also suffered a 5-2 defeat in the Rhineland derby in the Bundesliga.
Winless in seven home games against Augsburg
In the home match against FCA, the Geißböcke are now also looking to stop the recent negative trend. However, none of the last seven home games in the Bundesliga could be won against the Fuggerstädter (three draws, four defeats).
With Florian Kainz, who was shown the red card in the derby, added to the list of seven injured players, it comes as a surprise that the Effzeh are the odds-on favourites going into the game.
Predicted line-up of Cologne:
Schwäbe – Hector – Hübers – Kilian – Schmitz – Skhiri – Adamyan – Duda – Huseinbasic – Tigges – Maina
Last matches played by Köln:
European Conference League Grp. D
13/10/2022 – Partizan Belgrade 2 – 0 1. FC Köln
Bundesliga
09/10/2022 – Gladbach 5 – 2 1. FC Köln
Europa Conference League Grp. D
07/10/2022 – 1. FC Köln 0 – 1 Partizan Belgrade
Bundesliga
01/10/2022 – 1. FC Köln 3 – 2 Borussia Dortmund
18/09/2022 – VfL Bochum 1 – 1 1. FC Köln
Augsburg – Statistics & current form
Augsburg have been a fixture in the Bundesliga since the summer of 2011. Admittedly, the Bavarian Swabians have only finished 15th in the final table three times (2013, 2019 and 2020). However, the Fuggerstädter have always managed to avoid the difficult relegation process as well as relegation.
Nevertheless, FCA has to deal with major upheavals year after year. After last season’s 14th place finish, Markus Weinzierl and twelve players left. Under the new coach Enrico Maaßen, however, a very powerful squad was put together with a total of 14 new arrivals.
Ten points out of a possible twelve from the last four league games
The result is 13 points out of a possible 27 from the first nine league games – never before in their Bundesliga history have FC Augsburg had a better haul on their account at this point in the season. For the first time since 2014/15, there have been four wins from the first nine games.
The Fuggerstädter also bring the best momentum in the league with them to the Rheinenergiestadion. Maaßen’s side have picked up ten out of a possible twelve points from their last four league games – the best score in the league. In addition, the Bavarian Swabians have won their last two away games in a row.
Four of the five centre-backs will be missing in Cologne
All these facts, which clearly speak for a point win for the Fuggerstädter, must, however, also be contrasted with the personnel situation.
And the current situation makes it virtually impossible to bet on a third FCA away win in a row against Augsburg.
Not only are Hahn (knee cartilage damage) and Dorsch (broken metatarsal) out for a long time, but Enrico Maaßen will have to do without four of his five centre-backs in Cologne, as the injured Oxford (knee surgery) and Uduokhai (syndesmosis tear) are joined by the yellow suspensions of Gouweleeuw and Bauer.
Predicted line-up of Augsburg:
Koubek – Iago – Winther – Gumny – Framberger – Gruezo – Rexhbecaj – Demirovic – Vargas – Berisha – Niederlechner
Last matches played by Augsburg:
Bundesliga
08/10/2022 – Augsburg 1 – 1 VfL Wolfsburg
02/10/2022 – Schalke 04 2 – 3 Augsburg
Friendly club matches
22/09/2022 – Augsburg 5 – 2 Austria Lustenau
Bundesliga
17/09/2022 – Augsburg 1 – 0 Bayern Munich
10/09/2022 – Werder Bremen 0 – 1 Augsburg
Cologne – Augsburg Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 6 – 7 – 8
There have been a total of 21 meetings between the two teams so far and FCA lead the direct comparison with eight victories. The Fuggerstädter are currently unbeaten in seven away games in Cologne (three wins, four draws).
Cologne – Augsburg tip
The Geißböcke have lost their last three competitive games in a row and now expect an opponent against whom they have not won any of their last seven home games. Meanwhile, the visitors from the Fuggerstadt are the team of the moment with ten out of a possible twelve points from their last four league games, but will have to do without four of their five centre-backs for this away match. Accordingly, it is difficult to make a prediction on the outcome of Cologne against Augsburg.
In our opinion, the best value is to bet that the Bavarian Swabians will win at least one of the two halves in Cologne.
