Verdict: Bayern Munich half-time/full-time
Best Odds: 11/10
Bookmaker: Unibet
Looking to find a route back to the top of the Bundesliga table this weekend, Bayern Munich will make the trip to the RheinEnergieStadion on Saturday afternoon.
Koln
Starting with the hosts, while Koln might have managed to come from behind and grab a point off of Bundesliga returners Stuttgart last weekend, the Billy Goats find themselves in the midst of what has been an extended worrying spell either side of football’s enforced break over the summer. Although Markus Gisdol’s men might have managed to crawl themselves over the finish line and hang onto their top-flight status last season, they have bagged just a pair of points from their opening five Bundesliga appearances so far this year. Already scrapping it out in the relegation play-off spot and many feeling that Koln could be at the heart of a real struggle this season, they also ended the extended 2019/2020 campaign in nothing short than dreadful fashion. Including closing last year’s campaign with an embarrassing 6-1 drumming away at Werder Bremen, Saturday’s hosts have remarkably failed to win any of their last 15 straight top-flight outings continuing on from last season.
Team News
Koln have confirmed that they will once agin be without both Florian Kainz and Jonas Hector who are out for the foreseeable future.
Bayern Munich
As for the visitors, managing to avoid what could have been an upset away at Lokomotiv Moscow while on Champions League duties earlier in the week, Bayern Munich picked up a deserved 2-1 win on foreign soil. While the defending European champions might have seen their staggering unbeaten run come to an abrupt end thanks to that shock 4-1 defeat away at Hoffenheim last month, the German giants have certainly bounced back in some style and are seen as a landslide favourite to reclaim their top-flight crown once again this season. Although Hans-Dieter Flick’s men might still find RB Leipzig keeping their noses ahead of them ahead of this weekend’s fixtures, Bayern were last seen on Bundesliga duties picking up a thumping 5-0 romp against Eintracht Frankfurt on home soil. Enjoying what has been a staggering free-scoring run once again this season, it should also be noted that their red-hot talisman Robert Lewandowski has already racked a remarkable 10 top-flight strikes from just his opening five appearances.
Team News
Still serving a suspension, Bayern Munich will once again be without Corentin Tolisso on Saturday.
Elsewhere, Alphonso Davies looks set to miss out until December with an injury issue.
Key Factors to Consider
- When the two sides last faced off at the RheinEnergieStadion back in February, Bayern secured a thumping 4-1 win.
- In fact, the defending Bundesliga champions have won each of their last five straight meetings against Koln.
- Robert Lewandowski has already racked a remarkable 10 top-flight strikes from just his opening five appearances.
- Continuing on from last season, Koln have now failed to win any of their last 15 Bundesliga appearances on the bounce.
- Koln have also failed to win any of their last eight straight contests on home soil, shipping at least a pair of goals in six of those outings.
Conclusion
On paper, there is no doubt that Bayern will be looking to extend on their stunning free-scoring run of form when they travel to a downbeat RheinEnergieStadion on Saturday afternoon. Last seen on Bundesliga duties picking up a thumping 5-0 romp against Eintracht Frankfurt and with the red-hot Robert Lewandowski already notching 10 top-flight goals in his opening five appearances, chances should come thick and fast this weekend. Winning each of their last five matchups against Koln, including a 4-1 win the last time they traveled to Cologne, we’re backing a similar rampant afternoon for the defending champions.
Verdict: Bayern Munich half-time/full-time
Best Odds: 11/10
Bookmaker: Unibet
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