1. FC Koln

vs

Borussia Monchengladbach

Preview

Köln

• Köln are 13th in the Bundesliga 2026/2027 with 4 points after 4 games.
• The Geißböcke are unbeaten in 2 home Bundesliga 2026/2027 games (W1, D1) and Gladbach are yet to win away (D0, L2).
• The hosts may have lost 2-1 away at Hamburger SV in their last Bundesliga 2026/2027 game, but they've also drawn 2-2 with Viktoria Köln 1904 in a friendly since.
• The Geißböcke are a balanced side who usually play a compact 4-2-3-1 system, which Rene Wagner has stuck to since his appointment on 23 March 2026.

Gladbach

• Gladbach are 18th in the Bundesliga 2026/2027 with 0 points from 4 games, so the pressure is already on Alexander Blessin and his side.
• Gladbach were beaten 5-0 away at SC Freiburg and 3-4 at home by Mainz in their two Bundesliga 2026/2027 fixtures to date before drawing 1-1 away with FC St. Pauli in a friendly.
• Alexander Blessin's side, who he has been in charge of since 22 September 2026, are yet to find their groove in this system and the pressure is on to get a positive result at the weekend.

Head-to-Head

• The last meeting between these sides finished all square at 3-3 at this venue in the Bundesliga 2025/2026, so Sunday's derby could be just as chaotic.
• The visitors have failed to win their last 3 away at Köln.

Gladbach

• Hugo Bolin is Gladbach's top scorer in the Bundesliga 2026/2027 so far with 2 goals in 4 games.
• Franck Honorat has 2 assists in 4 games and is the most creative player on the pitch for Gladbach.

Köln

• Linton Maina has 2 goals in the last 5 games for Köln.
• Thijs Dallinga has scored 2 of Köln's 6 goals in the Bundesliga 2026/2027 with 2 in 3, while Ellyes Skhiri has 2 assists in 4 - so the home side can cause Gladbach problems if they get on top of the ball.

Betting Insights

• Köln's home games in the Bundesliga 2026/2027 are averaging 2.00 goals scored and 1.50 conceded, so we can expect an open contest at RheinEnergieStadion on Sunday.
• Over 2.5 goals at 1.5 and Both Teams to Score at 1.45 are the picks for this matchup.
• That has us siding with the home side here at 1.95 over Blessin's 3.35 and the draw at 3.85.

Prediction

• However, we're going to side with the hosts to take at least a point in this one as Gladbach's away form has been so bad and Köln have had the upper hand in this game in recent times.
• Köln's home games in the Bundesliga 2026/2027 are averaging 2.00 goals scored and 1.50 conceded, so we can expect an open contest at RheinEnergieStadion on Sunday.
• Over 2.5 goals at 1.5 and Both Teams to Score at 1.45 are the picks for this matchup.