Union Berlin vs FC Koln - prediction, team news, lineups

Facing disconnected for the 2nd clip successful 4 days, Union Berlin volition welcome Bundesliga rivals FC Koln to Stadion An der Alten Forsterei on Sunday.

Die Eisernen are looking for a archetypal triumph successful 4 games, portion the Billy Goats are hoping to physique connected their DFB-Pokal triumph.

Match preview

Mauro Lustrinelli's Union look to person recovered their feet successful caller weeks aft a dire opening to their Bundesliga campaign, but they volition request to debar falling backmost into a losing signifier this weekend.

Die Eisernen drew their top-flight opener 3-3 with Bayer Leverkusen, though they followed it up with 3 consecutive defeats.

However, Lustrinelli's broadside returned from the September planetary interruption with renewed vigour, beating Elversberg 1-0 connected October 10 earlier impressively holding Borussia Dortmund to a 0-0 stalemate a week later, and collecting a constituent successful a 1-1 gully with Augsburg.

That three-game undefeated tally whitethorn not person lifted Union retired of the relegation zone, wherever they beryllium 17th with six points, but they are level with 16th-placed Schalke 04 and 15th-placed Stuttgart having racked up each but 1 of their points this month.

Unfortunately for the Berliners, their streak of resilience was shattered successful the DFB-Pokal's 2nd circular connected Tuesday, erstwhile they were thrashed 5-0 by Sunday's opponents.

Meanwhile, Rene Wagner's Koln person endured a mixed play to date, but they volition beryllium optimistic up of this weekend's travel to the capital.

The Billy Goats are presently 12th successful the Bundesliga with 8 points, having won two, drawn 2 and mislaid 3 of their 8 matches truthful far.

Wagner's broadside volition beryllium buoyed by their emphatic triumph implicit Union astatine RheinEnergieStadion this week, which meant that the nine person lone mislaid 1 of their past 4 outings crossed each competitions.

That being said, fans volition beryllium cautious astir Koln playing connected the roadworthy connected Sunday, fixed their azygous decision during that agelong came astatine Eintracht Frankfurt - 1-0 connected October 16.

In fact, the visitors person mislaid each 3 of their Bundesliga matches distant from location successful 2026-27, conceding 7 times and scoring conscionable doubly successful the process.

Union Berlin Bundesliga form:

Union Berlin signifier (all competitions):

FC Koln Bundesliga form:

FC Koln signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Union are without Stanley Nsoki owed to a calf injury, portion chap centre-back Felix Uduokhai is suspended aft picking up a reddish paper against Augsburg, and left-back Andrik Markgraf is dealing with a genu problem.

In their absence, Leopold Querfeld and Zeno Van Den Bosch could commencement astatine the bosom of the hosts' defence, flanked by Janik Haberer and Tom Rothe.

Further forward, wide man Robert Skov is unavailable, and striker Andrej Ilic remains sidelined arsenic helium recovers from appendix surgery, though Emmanuel Latte Lath should beryllium acceptable to run up top, supported by Woo-yeong Jeong, Michel Aebischer and Livan Burcu.

As for Koln, they are lighter up apical than perfect with centre-forwards Imad Rondic, Ragnar Ache (thigh), and Thijs Dallinga (cruciate ligament injury) each retired of action, so Marius Bulter and Said El Mala look acceptable to commencement up front.

At the other extremity of the pitch, centre-backs Timo Hubers and Rav van den Berg are missing owed to respective genu and musculus injuries, portion antiaircraft midfielder Ellyes Skhiri has an ankle contented that is apt to support him retired until aboriginal 2027.

Filling the gaps, Wagner whitethorn opt for a three-man backline featuring Joel Schmied, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Tom Krauss, shielded by Paul Okon-Engstler successful the centre of the park.

Union Berlin imaginable starting lineup:

Ronnow; Haberer, Querfeld, Van Den Bosch, Rothe; Schafer, Khedira; Jeong, Aebischer, Burcu; Latte Lath

FC Koln imaginable starting lineup:

Schwabe; Schmied, Simpson-Pusey, Krauss; Okon-Engstler; Castro-Montes, Moore, Maina, Sosa; El Mala, Bulter

We say: Union Berlin 1-1 FC Koln

Union whitethorn person been hammered by Koln successful midweek, but they person proven resilient successful caller Bundesliga matches, and volition beryllium hoping to bounce backmost with a stronger showing successful beforehand of a location crowd.

Koln person struggled connected the roadworthy this season, losing each of their 3 distant league matches to date, and a gully would people an betterment successful that regard.

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