Borussia Dortmund and Köln meet at Signal ‑ Iduna ‑ Park, in a match for the 9th round of the Bundesliga. In this stadium, the history of direct confrontations is favorable to the home team, which registers 2 wins and 2 draws in the last 4 matches. In fact, the last time these two teams played a match at this stadium was on 24‑01‑2020, in a Bundesliga match that ended in a (5‑1) victory for Borussia Dortmund. The goals of the match were scored by M. Reus (29 ‘), E. Haaland (77’ and 87 ‘), Raphaël Guerreiro (1’) and J. Sancho (48 ‘), for Borussia Dortmund, and M. Uth ( 64 ‘), for Köln. In this game the home factor may be decisive, as Borussia Dortmund presents considerable differences in their results at home and as a visitor.
Dortmund:
The home team is currently in 2nd position, with 18 points won, after 6 wins and 2 losses. In the penultimate match, they lost at home to Bayern München by (2‑3). In the last match, they won away against Hertha BSC by (2‑5). This is a team that, curiously, tends to achieve more positive results as a visitor than at home, since in the last 30 games they have registered 11 victories and 4 defeats as a visitor, with 38 goals scored and 14 suffered; against 9 victories, 1 draw and 5 defeats in their stadium, with 37 goals scored and 17 suffered. In their last match, for the UEFA Champions League, they beat Club Brugge at home by (3‑0). In their last 4 home games for the championship, Borussia Dortmund won 3 and lost 1, winning 9 points out of 12 possible. His attack has scored regularly, as he has scored goals in 7 of the last 8 matches for this competition. In their home matches there is a tendency for goals, since 17 of the last 24 matches have ended with Over 2,5 goals. This is a team that tends to score many times first: it opened the scoring in 6 of its last 8 Bundesliga games, of these 6 it reached the break with an advantage in 2 and managed to maintain the advantage until the end of the 90 ‘in 5.
Borussia Dortmund leaves for this motivated match, after a 3×0 victory over Club Brugge, in a match for the group stage of the Champions League: the team’s goals were scored by Erling Haaland (2) and Jadon Sancho. On the last day of the Bundesliga, the team beat Hertha 2×5. Coach Lucien Favre must keep the team 4-3-3, favoring maintenance of possession and organized attacks, especially through the right: Jadon Sancho is very fast and competent in transporting the ball for attack. Forward Erling Haaland is Borussia Dortmund’s top scorer with 10 goals. For this game the coach of the house does not have Dan-Axel Zagadou and Marcel Schmelzer, both with physical problems.
Köln:
The visiting team is currently in 17th position, with 3 points won, after 3 draws and 5 losses. In the penultimate match, they tied in an away match against Werder Bremen by (1‑1). In the last match, they lost at home to Union Berlin by (1‑2). This is a team little affected by the home factor, that is, it presents similar results at home and away, since in the last 30 games it has registered 4 wins, 4 draws and 7 losses as a visitor, with 27 goals scored and 30 suffered; against 5 victories, 3 draws and 7 defeats in his stadium, with 28 goals scored and 25 suffered. In their last 10 away matches, Köln has recorded 2 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses.
For this competition, they have not won any of the last 8 matches. Their defense has not been very solid, since they have conceded at least one goal in each of the last 8 matches, but their offense has scored regularly, as they have scored goals in 7 of the last 8 matches for this competition. This is a team that tends to find it difficult to score first. In fact, he only opened the scoring once in the last 8 games for the Bundesliga. In 8 games in this tournament, he suffered the first goal 7 times and never got the comeback.
Cologne comes to this game unmotivated, after a 1×2 defeat at the reception to Hertha, adding the second defeat in the last three Bundesliga games: the only goal of the team was scored by Ellyes Skhiri. In this away game, coach Markus Gisdol is expected to play 4-3-3, favoring the defensive organization and countering down the flanks. Forward Sebastian Andersson is one of Cologne’s top scorers, with two goals scored. For this game the visiting coach cannot count on Benno Schmitz, Anthony Modeste, Jonas Hector and Florian Kainz, due to injury.
