Having both made pretty positive starts to their respective Bundesliga campaigns, Cologne host Stuttgart on matchday five.
Match News and Current Form
Cologne were promoted in unusual circumstances with an interim head coach at the helm, and underwent a change in summer as Lukas Kwasniok took charge. The Billy Goats have coped with that upheaval impressively though, taking seven points from their first four games back in the Bundesliga (W2, D1, L1) to occupy a top-four spot ahead of this round of fixtures, despite a first loss of the season last Saturday at RB Leipzig (3-1). Underlining how good their start to the campaign has been, only Eintracht Frankfurt (11) and Bayern Munich (18) have scored more than Cologne’s nine goals across the opening four matchdays in the Bundesliga this term.
Stuttgart are still riding high after May’s DFB-Pokal triumph, and began their UEFA Europa League (UEL) campaign with a 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo on Thursday night. Now fighting on three fronts, the aim for Sebastian Hoeneß’s side is to build more momentum in the Bundesliga, as with two wins and two defeats in their opening four league games this season, they sit on the cusp of the European spots, and have an opportunity here to make it three victories in a row across all competitions. The Swabians will have to produce more than they have on the road so far this term however, having lost both of their first two top-flight away matches.
Head-to-Head History
Cologne have won just one of their last 14 home H2Hs against Stuttgart (D6, L7), with their overall win percentage (13%) against a single opponent in the Bundesliga since the start of 2000 only worse against Bayern (6%).
Hot Stats and Streaks
Cologne have scored four goals after the 75th minute already this season - a joint league-high figure after matchday four.
Each of Cologne’s last three games produced 4+ goals.
Ahead of this round, only Union Berlin (five) had conceded more Bundesliga goals after the 75th minute than Stuttgart’s three.
Five of Stuttgart’s last six away games saw both teams score.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Jan Thielmann got Cologne’s equaliser in Leipzig last week, but only three of his last six goals came in games where he ended up up on the winning side. Ermedin Demirović registered four goal involvements (G2, A2) in his first two career appearances against Cologne, but he has not recorded another or experienced victory against them in four attempts since (D2, L2).
Cologne have virtually a fully-fit squad to pick from, while Stuttgart are expected to be without centre-back Finn Jeltsch after his withdrawal during their UEL win in midweek.
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Betting Analysis
We recommend backing over 2.5 total goals and the second half to be the highest-scoring half.
Author: Ben Olawumi