Match Information
Match Overview
Matchday 9 of the Bundesliga season brings 1. FC Köln and Bayer Leverkusen together at the RheinEnergieStadion on November 8, with the campaign beginning to take shape. Köln sit 13th in the table while Leverkusen occupy 6th, a gap in the standings that frames this as a meeting between a side seeking stability and one looking to climb.
The most telling factor is the contrast in recent league form. Köln have collected a win, two draws and a loss in their last four Bundesliga fixtures, beating Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 on October 11, losing 1-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt on October 16, drawing 0-0 with FC Schalke 04 on October 24 and holding Union Berlin to a 1-1 draw away on November 1. They also thrashed Union Berlin 5-0 in the DFB Pokal Round of 32 on October 27, a result that shows their attacking capacity. Leverkusen, by contrast, have lost their last two league matches: 3-0 at 1899 Hoffenheim on October 25 and 4-2 at home to VfB Stuttgart on October 31. Those results mean six goals conceded across two league outings, even though they beat SC Freiburg 2-1 on October 18, won 2-0 at OFI in the UEFA Europa League on October 22 and defeated 1. FC Nürnberg 5-2 in the DFB Pokal on October 28.
Head-to-head history also favors the visitors. Leverkusen have won each of the last four meetings, including a 2-1 victory in Cologne on April 25, 2026 and a 2-0 home win on December 13, 2025. Köln last beat this opponent on May 5, 2023.
Both teams have reported no unavailable players, so René Wagner and Carles Martínez can select from full squads. That makes tactical choices, rather than absences, the main variable. Köln's defensive resilience against Leverkusen's recent defensive fragility looks like the key contrast to watch.
Predicted Lineups
1. FC Köln
Schwäbe; Sebulonsen, Schmied, Simpson-Pusey, Sosa; Maina, Okon-Engstler, Krauß, Bergmann Jóhannesson; Bülter, El Mala
Bayer Leverkusen
Flekken; Quansah, Tapsoba, Medina, Gutiérrez; Fernández, Aleix García; Lucas Vázquez, Maza, Moreira; Schick
Team Form Analysis
1. FC Köln
League Position: 131. FC Köln Form Analysis
Köln's last five matches in all competitions read as two wins... correction: two wins, two draws and one loss, with the trajectory showing consistent point-gathering rather than dramatic swings. Their most recent league outing was a 1-1 draw away at Union Berlin on November 1, preceded by a 0-0 home draw with FC Schalke 04 on October 24. Those two stalemates followed a 1-0 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt on October 16, and a 2-1 home win over Borussia Mönchengladbach on October 11.
In the league, Köln have scored in three of their last four matches, but the goals have been modest in number: two against Gladbach, one against Union and none against Frankfurt and Schalke. Defensively, they have conceded only twice across those four Bundesliga fixtures, a record that includes a clean sheet against Schalke.
The standout result is the 5-0 DFB Pokal win over Union Berlin on October 27, which shows what the attack can produce. That midweek cup tie came between league matches, so it also adds to the schedule load. Overall, Köln arrive undefeated in their last three matches in all competitions, with a solid defensive base.
Bayer Leverkusen
League Position: 6Bayer Leverkusen Form Analysis
Leverkusen's recent form is split sharply between competitions. In the Bundesliga they have lost two in a row, falling 3-0 away to 1899 Hoffenheim on October 25 and 4-2 at home to VfB Stuttgart on October 31. That is seven goals conceded in two league matches without finding a way to protect their goal, and the Stuttgart defeat came at home.
Outside the league, the picture is more positive. They won 2-0 at OFI in the UEFA Europa League on October 22 and beat 1. FC Nürnberg 5-2 in the DFB Pokal on October 28, showing considerable attacking output in that cup tie. Before that run, they beat SC Freiburg 2-1 at home in the Bundesliga on October 18.
Taken together, the data shows a side capable of scoring freely, with seven goals across their last two wins in cup and European play, but one that has been vulnerable defensively in league fixtures. Playing three matches in a short window from October 25 to October 31 may also have contributed to the fixture load. Leverkusen will want to turn a strong cup and European showing into league points.
Head-to-Head
1. FC Köln
Bayer Leverkusen
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-25 | 1. FC Köln | 1 - 2 | Bayer Leverkusen |
| 2025-12-13 | Bayer Leverkusen | 2 - 0 | 1. FC Köln |
| 2025-02-05 | Bayer Leverkusen | 3 - 2 AET | 1. FC Köln |
| 2024-03-03 | 1. FC Köln | 0 - 2 | Bayer Leverkusen |
| 2023-10-08 | Bayer Leverkusen | 3 - 0 | 1. FC Köln |
| 2023-05-05 | Bayer Leverkusen | 1 - 2 | 1. FC Köln |
| 2022-11-09 | 1. FC Köln | 1 - 2 | Bayer Leverkusen |
| 2022-03-13 | Bayer Leverkusen | 0 - 1 | 1. FC Köln |
| 2021-10-24 | 1. FC Köln | 2 - 2 | Bayer Leverkusen |
| 2021-04-17 | Bayer Leverkusen | 3 - 0 | 1. FC Köln |
Memorable Matches
The fixture has produced a good share of entertaining contests. The most recent meeting, on April 25, 2026, saw Leverkusen win 2-1 in Cologne, extending their recent edge in the series. On February 5, 2025, Leverkusen edged a five-goal thriller, winning 3-2 at home.
Köln's best moments in the series came in 2022 and 2023. On March 13, 2022, they won 1-0 away at Leverkusen, and on May 5, 2023 they again won in Leverkusen, this time 2-1. Those results stand out because Köln have not won since, with Leverkusen taking all four meetings since then. The 2-2 draw in Cologne on October 24, 2021 is another example of the fixture's competitive balance in earlier seasons.
Venue Factor
The RheinEnergieStadion will host this Matchday 9 fixture, and Köln will look to draw on home support. Their most recent
Injury Concerns
1. FC Köln
Bayer Leverkusen
