- Bayer 04 Leverkusen have won all 3 of the last 3 meetings between the clubs and won 2-1 away when these sides last met in Bundesliga 2025/2026.
- 1. FC Koln have failed to beat Bayer 04 Leverkusen in their last 2 home meetings, so the visitors will have the mental edge going into this derby.
Derby games don’t often deliver
Bayer 04 Leverkusen are favourites for Sunday's derby with 1. FC Koln at RheinEnergieSTADION, but we won't be going against the Werkself at 33/50. However, we do feel the hosts have a chance to stay in the game for 90 minutes and make it a good watch.
The visitors arrive in patchy form with three defeats from their last five across all competitions, losing 2-4 at home to Stuttgart in Bundesliga and 0-1 to Marseille in Europa League in the last 14 days. But they have more quality and firepower to win this game than their hosts.
In Bundesliga 2026/2027, Bayer Leverkusen are 6th after taking 13 points from eight games and 1. FC Koln are 13th on nine points from the same number of fixtures. While 1. FC Koln are the more in form of the two clubs, this match will be about Leverkusen's quality and that should tell on the final score.
Bettors to enjoy over 2.5 goals
Leverkusen have won one, drawn one and lost two of their four Bundesliga games on the road this season, while Köln have won two and drawn two of their quartet of home matches, conceding just four goals.
So this is not a mismatch, but Leverkusen have the quality to edge it and the best bet in the match result market is a high-scoring away win with both teams to score.
Over 2.5 goals is marked up at a low 19/50 and Both Teams to Score is also a very short 21/50, so we are having a go on both.
Rene Wagner's 3-3-2-2 system sets up 1. FC Koln to be sturdy and capable of sudden, vertical bursts that can be a problem for any opponent, but especially a side like Leverkusen who want to get high and press.
Billy Goats can be dangerous counter-attackers
The Werkself have an extra man up front in Ibrahim Maza, who has two of their six goals in the last five matches, but Patrik Schick is their sharpest finisher with four Bundesliga goals in as many games.
For Köln, Thijs Dallinga is their main danger man, having netted two Bundesliga goals in three appearances in 2026-27. Leverkusen have three wins from their last three games against Köln, so we are expecting another victory here, but the goal markets look a lot more attractive.
