Bayern Munich will aim to continue the recent winning run when they take on FC Koln at the RheinEnergieStadion on Wednesday.
The 2025/26 Bundesliga season continues this week with Matchday 17, as the campaign reaches its halfway point. The action on Wednesday will start with the game between VfL Wolfsburg and FC St. Pauli before ending with four simultaneous fixtures, including FC Koln vs Bayern Munich at the RheinEnergieStadion.
FC Koln started the 2025/26 season with a bang, rising to third in the Bundesliga standings after going unbeaten in the first three games. However, since then, the Billy Goats have only two more games, and they have fallen to 11th on the table. Lukas Kwasniok’s men are on a seven-match winless run heading into this week’s clash.
On the other hand, there has been no stopping Bayern Munich this season. The Bavarian giants have dropped points only twice in 16 league outings thus far, and they have yet to lose a game. Vincent Kompany’s men have opened up an 11-point lead atop the Bundesliga table, and they are rampantly charging towards another title.
FC Koln and Bayern Munich have already clashed once this season, with Die Roten coming from a goal down to clinch a 4-1 win in the DFB Pokal second round. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
FC Koln
Lukas Kwansiok has a new roster issue that is hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The FC Koln manager will be bereft of the services of six first-team players vs Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Eric Martel is the latest absentee due to a suspension after accumulating five yellow cards for the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. The German midfielder has joined Rav van den Berg, Timo Hubers (knee), Luca Kilian (ACL), Joel Schmied (hamstring), and Dominique Heintz (muscular) on the sidelines.
Marvin Schwabe will take his spot between the sticks, with FC Koln lining up in a 3-4-3 formation in front of him vs Bayern Munich on Wednesday. The central defensive unit will feature Sebastian Sebulonsen, Tom Krauss, and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey. Meanwhile, Jan Thielmann and Alessio Castro-Montes will be the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and protect the three centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, Denis Huseinbasic and Isak Bergmann Johannesson will pair up in the double pivot in the middle of the park. Finally, Ragnar Ache will lead the line for FC Koln against Bayern Munich, with Jakub Kaminski and Said El Mala completing the numbers in the offensive unit.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Schwabe; Sebulonsen, Krauss, Simpson-Pusey; Thielmann, Huseinbasic, Johannesson, Castro-Montes; El Mala, Ache, Kaminski
Bayern Munich
Unlike his counterpart in the FC Koln dugout, Vincent Kompany has no new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to the RheinEnergieStadion. The Bayern Munich manager may be without only four first-team players on Wednesday.
Joshua Kimmich and Jamal Musiala are the most notable absentees due to their ankle injuries. Meanwhile, Sacha Boey faces a late fitness test to determine his availability, while Tarek Buchmann is recovering from a foot issue.
Manuel Neuer is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Bayern Munich lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs FC Koln on Wednesday. The backline will feature Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Johathan Tah, and Hiroki Ito.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Aleksandar Pavlovic and Leon Goretzka in the double pivot. Serge Gnabry will reprise the no. 10 role, with Luis Diaz and Michael Olise being the two wide attackers. Finally, Harry Kane will spearhead the Bayern Munich attack against FC Koln on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Ito; Pavlovic, Goretzka; Olise, Gnabry, Diaz; Kane
Key Stats
- Bayern Munich have dominated this fixture, winning five of their last six games vs FC Koln (D1). The Billy Goats have not beaten Bayern in their 13 most recent attempts, with those games having a combined scoreline of 35-8 in the Bavarian club’s favour.
- Bayern Munich’s 2-0 win over FC Koln in April 2024 was the 100th meeting between the pair in the Bundesliga. The Bavarian giants have won 53 of those clashes, scoring 204 goals.
- FC Koln are on a seven-match winless run, and they have won only two of their last 14 Bundesliga games (D5 L7). On the other hand, Bayern Munich are yet to lose a Bundesliga game in the 2025/26 season, and they have dropped points only twice thus far (W14).
- Bayern Munich have already scored 63 goals this season after only 16 games. The record after 17 outings, the season’s halfway mark, is 56 (Bayern in 2021/22), and it has already been smashed. The Bavarian giants themselves had never before got to 63 goals before Matchday 20.
- Vincent Kompany has averaged 2.52 points per game as Bayern Munich’s head coach, the same record as Pep Guardiola during his time with Die Roten.
Player to Watch
Michael Olise
While Harry Kane, Said El Mala, and Ragnar Ache were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Michael Olise as the Player to Watch for Wednesday’s Bundesliga clash between FC Koln and Bayern Munich at the RheinEnergieStadion.
The Frenchman has been exceptional this season, and he amassed two goals and an assist as Bayern Munich cruised to an 8-1 win over VfL Wolfsburg this past weekend. Olise has been top-class since joining Bayern, registering an impressive 45 goal involvements (G21 A24) in 50 games. So, while the spotlight will be on Harry Kane, Olise will be the go-to man for Vincent Kompany.
Prediction
FC Koln 1-5 Bayern Munich
FC Koln’s fighting draw against FC Heidenheim this past weekend showed the fight in Lukas Kwansiok’s men. However, the gulf in quality between the two sides will become clear as the minutes wear on, and a repeat of the DFB Pokal clash is on the cards.
Michael Olise and Harry Kane will be in their element, and they will deliver the goods in the final third for the away side. The Hard Tackle predicts a straightforward 5-1 win for Vincent Kompany and his charges, with the team’s march towards the Bundesliga title continuing.
