Bayer Leverkusen vs FC Köln prediction, H2H & Probable Line-ups – February 5, 2025
One of the German Cup quarter-final matches will take place on Wednesday at the BayArena, where Bayer Leverkusen will host FC Köln. We suggest a bet on goals in this clash with a high probability of success.
Match Preview
Bayer, the reigning German Cup champion, continues its strong campaign in the 2024/25 tournament. After two convincing victories over lower-division teams, Xabi Alonso’s side secured an away win against Bayern Munich (1-0) in the previous round.
This victory marked Bayer’s ninth consecutive win in the national cup, with six of those matches resulting in clean sheets. At home, Leverkusen has showcased an excellent attacking form, scoring at least three goals in six of their last seven German Cup matches. Over the weekend, Bayer defeated Hoffenheim 3-1 at home.
Gerhard Struber’s Köln secured their place in the quarter-finals by edging past Hertha Berlin (1-1, extra time 1-0). Notably, Köln has lost only one match in regulation time in their last 12 national cup fixtures (4 wins, 7 draws).
However, the club does not have a rich history in this tournament. The last time they reached the quarter-finals was in the 2009/10 season, and they have only progressed beyond this stage once — in 2002. In the 2. Bundesliga, Köln recently secured an away victory against Eintracht Braunschweig (2-1), maintaining their position at the top of the table.
Probable line-ups
- Bayer Leverkusen: Matej Kovar – Piero Hincapié, Edmond Tapsoba, Nordi Mukiele, Jonathan Tah – Alejandro Grimaldo, Granit Xhaka, Robert Andrich, Jeremie Frimpong, Exequiel Palacios – Florian Wirtz
- FC Köln: Marvin Schwäbe – Dominique Heintz, Timo Hübers, Julian Pauli – Max Finkgräfe, Denis Huseinbašić, Linton Maina, Jan Thielmann, Eric Martel – Tim Lemperle, Linton Maina
Match facts and head-to-head
- Last season, Bayer defeated Köln twice in the Bundesliga without conceding a goal.
- Before that, the teams exchanged away wins, both with a 2-1 scoreline.
- The "Total Over 2.5" bet has won in three of the last five matches.
Prediction
Bookmakers favor Bayer in this matchup, offering odds of around 1.25 for their victory. However, Köln should not be underestimated, as they have been performing well in the 2. Bundesliga. Our suggested bet is "Total Under 3.5" at odds of 1.70.
