FC Koln host Bayern Munich on Saturday as the 2020-21 Bundesliga campaign continues, with third bottom facing second in the table after five matches.
Koln will be buoyed by two consecutive draws having lost their opening three matches, with Bayern looking in imperious form during their 5-0 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Match preview
Markus Gisdol's side have edged to within a point of escaping the relegation zone, which they have occupied since the second week of the season, after a respectable 1-1 draw at the in-form Stuttgart last weekend.
The 51-year-old was left exasperated when Orel Mangala gave the hosts the lead after less than 30 seconds with a superb strike from outside the area, with Stuttgart smashing the bar just minutes later as they threatened to take the game away from Koln. However, Gisdol's team fought back bravely, with Sebastian Andersson cannily getting the wrong side of his opposing centre-back to win a penalty before coolly converting from twelve yards for his second of the season.
Having signed from Union Berlin in the summer after scoring 12 goals in the Bundesliga last season, Andersson will be hoping to kick on now and fire his side up the table.
Gisdol may have felt his side did enough to win, but avoiding defeat for a second successive match is certainly no bad thing given their current predicament. He will be under no illusions about his side's chances against Bayern, though; avoiding conceding four goals in defeat, which was the outcome in both meetings last season, will be the primary aim of the match for his side.
Bayern were in sensational form when defeating Frankfurt 5-0 last weekend, with Robert Lewandowski scoring a perfect hat-trick (left foot, right foot and header) to become the first player in Bundesliga history to reach 10 goals after only five matches.
Hansi Flick was even afforded the luxury of resting the Pole and Thomas Muller in the second half, with Leroy Sane returning from injury in some style by cutting in from the right wing and smashing the ball into the far corner. It was eerily reminiscent of Arjen Robben during the Dutchman's hugely successful days at the Allianz Arena, and the Bavarians will be hoping Sane can stay fit and healthy in order to kick on.
The one blemish from the convincing victory was losing Alphonso Davies in the early exchanges, with the Canadian full-back likely to be out for at least a month with a twisted ankle. Lucas Hernandez has often been preferred in recent matches in any case, but Bayern will undoubtedly miss the option of utilising Davies's searing pace in both directions.
One man who more people may be talking about it were it not for Lewandowski's remarkable form this calendar year is Joshua Kimmich. The 25-year-old midfielder is surely one of the best players in the world at present, with his gorgeous goal at Lokomotiv Moscow in the Champions League in midweek securing three points for his side in a surprisingly scrappy 2-1 win in Russia.
FC Koln Bundesliga form: LLLDD
FC Koln form (all competitions): WLLLDD
Bayern Munich Bundesliga form: WLWWW
Bayern Munich form (all competitions): WWWWWW
Team News
Gisdol is without Florian Kainz for the foreseeable future with the winger recently undergoing knee surgery, while captain Jonas Hector is likely to remain absent until after the international break with a neck injury.
Otherwise, Koln look to have a clean bill of health, but it is going to take a lot more than that for them to avoid defeat on Saturday.
Davies will be out of action for Bayern until at least after the international break, and in all likelihood it would be a surprise to see him before December after tearing an ankle ligament.
Youngster Armindo Sieb is also injured with a ligament injury, but like their forthcoming opponents, Bayern are not doing too badly at all on the injury front compared to some sides, which will strike even more fear into the rest of the division.
Corentin Tolisso will serve the last of his two match ban, though, having been sent off for a professional foul in the win at Arminia Bielefeld.
FC Koln possible starting lineup:
T. Horn; Ehizibue, Bornauw, Czichos, J. Horn; Duda, Skhiri, Rexhbecaj; Wolf, Andersson, Jakobs
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Pavard, Sule, Alaba, Hernandez; Goretzka, Kimmich; Sane, Muller, Coman; Lewandowski
We say: FC Koln 0-4 Bayern Munich
Despite their lowly position in the table, Koln have been competitive in every match this season, but we cannot see that continuing on Saturday. Bayern scored four in both victories over Koln last season, and we can see a similar result this weekend.
