RB Leipzig will look to continue their impressive run of form when they host FC Koln in the Bundesliga this weekend.
RB Leipzig are coming into the game against Koln on the back of four wins and two draws from their last six league matches. And they will look to close in on the Bundesliga leaders with a win at home.
Meanwhile, Koln will look to steer clear of the relegation zone with a win away from home, and it remains to be seen whether they can upset the odds. The visitors ended they are losing streak with a win over Borussia Monchengladbach, and they will look to build on that performance here.
It was their first win of the Bundesliga campaign, and RB Leipzig will have to be careful in order to avoid a potential banana skin here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
🗣️ Marco Rose:
"It will be an intense and open game against Köln. It will be end to end. We need to be on our toes and defend counter-attacks better than we did on Wednesday."#RBLKOE pic.twitter.com/FjgskNLn3W
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) October 27, 2023
Team News & Tactics
RB Leipzig
The home side will be without the services of Willi Orban and El Chadaille Bitshiabu. Both players are sidelined with a knee injury. RB Leipzig are likely to start in their usual 4-4-2 formation, with Janis Blaswich in goal.
Lukas Klostermann and Christopher Lenz will start as the full-backs, and the two players will look to help out in the attack and contribute defensively. In the heart of the defence, Mohamed Simakan will start alongside Castello Lukeba.
Emil Forsberg and Xavi Simons will start as the wide players here, and they will look to add creativity and goals to the side. Kevin Kampl will start alongside Xaver Schlager in the middle of the park. The two players will look to keep things compact defensively and protect the central defence. Lois Openda will lead the line for the home side alongside Yussuf Poulsen.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Blaswich; Klostermann, Simakan, Lukeba, Lenz; Kampl, Schlager; Forsberg, Simons; Openda, Poulsen
1. FC Koln
The visitors are without Jacob Christensen and Philipp Pentke. While Christensen is ruled out with a muscle tear, Pentke has picked up a knee injury. The visitors are likely to line up in a 4-1-3-2 formation, with Marvin Schwabe in goal.
Benno Schmitz and Leart Paqarada will start as the full-backs here. They will look to protect the central defenders and set up counter-attacking opportunities. Timo Hubers will start in the central defence alongside Jeff Chabot.
Mathias Olesen will start as the central defensive midfielder, and he will look to sweep up the opposition attacks and protect the central defence. Denis Huseinbasic will start as the advanced central midfielder alongside Dejan Ljubicic and Florian Kainz.
All three players will look to add creativity and control to the site. Finally, Luca Waldschmidt will lead the line for Koln alongside Davie Selke for Koln against RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-1-3-2): Schwabe; Schmitz, Hubers, Chabot, Paqarada; Olesen; Huseinbasic, Ljubicic, Kainz; Selke, Waldschmidt
Key Stats
- RB Leipzig have scored at least two goals in nine of their last 11 matches in the Bundesliga.
- 13 goals have been scored in the last six matches between the two sides.
- FC Koln are winless in five of their last six Bundesliga matches.
- RB Leipzig are unbeaten in seven of their last eight Bundesliga matches.
- Both teams have scored in four of the last five meetings between the two sides.
Player to Watch
Xavi Simons
Xavi Simons vs FK Crvena Zvezda
[@xavisimons] pic.twitter.com/mU1Mqxk2Z7
— 𝚇𝚊𝚟𝚒🇳🇱²⁰ (@XaviProp2) October 26, 2023
The 20-year-old Dutch attacker has been in fine form since his move to the Bundesliga, and he has contributed to seven goals in his last eight league appearances.
Simons picked up a goal and an assist in his last outing in the UEFA Champions League, and he will look to build on that performance here. He will look to help create goalscoring opportunities for the strikers and get on the score sheet himself.
Prediction
RB Leipzig 3-1 FC Koln
RB Leipzig are undoubtedly the better team here, and they should be able to grind out a win in front of their fans. They have the confidence and momentum with them. On the other hand, Koln have lost six of their eight league matches.
They are major underdogs with four defeats in their last five outings. It is evident that the side are lacking in sharpness and confidence right now. The home side should be able to pick up all three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for RB Leipzig over Koln.
