What this page answers
A side-by-side look at both teams' last five matches: attack, defence, running and availability. It explains where each side has an edge before kickoff; it is not a win/draw/loss prediction.
The takeaway
FC Cologne have the stronger underlying attack/defence, but Bayer Leverkusen have taken more points recently.
- Underlying goal difference (expected goals for minus against): FC Cologne +0.30, Bayer Leverkusen +0.13.
- Points per game over the last five: FC Cologne 1.00, Bayer Leverkusen 2.00, opposite to the underlying signal.
- Attack: FC Cologne xG per match 1.51, 14.2 shots, 2.0 big chances created; Bayer Leverkusen xG per match 1.80, 17.0 shots, 3.0 big chances created.
- Defence: expected goals conceded per match FC Cologne 1.20, Bayer Leverkusen 1.67; shots on target faced 8.5 vs 7.4, big chances faced 2.0 vs 2.4.
Each team's clearest edge
Home edge
Goals conceded per match
1.00
vs 1.80
· Edge 44.4%
xGA per match
1.20
vs 1.67
· Edge 27.8%
Big chances faced per match
2.0
vs 2.4
· Edge 16.7%
Largest relative gaps among the displayed metrics.
Away edge
Goals per match
2.00
vs 0.80
· Edge 60.0%
Points per game
2.00
vs 1.00
· Edge 50.0%
Big chances created per match
3.0
vs 2.0
· Edge 33.3%
Largest relative gaps among the displayed metrics.
Head-to-head data
FC Cologne
|
Metric |
Bayer Leverkusen
|
|---|---|---|
| Results | ||
| 1.00 | Points per game | 2.00 |
| 0.80 | Goals per match | 2.00 |
| 1.00 | Goals conceded per match | 1.80 |
| 1.62 | Expected points per game | 1.58 |
| Attack | ||
| 1.51 | xG per match | 1.80 |
| 14.2 | Shots per match 4 / 5 matches with data | 17.0 |
| 9.2 | Shots on target per match 4 / 5 matches with data | 9.0 |
| 2.0 | Big chances created per match 4 / 5 matches with data | 3.0 |
| 50.2% | Possession 4 / 5 matches with data | 54.8% |
| 7.6 | Deep completions per match | 11.6 |
| Defence | ||
| 1.20 | xGA per match | 1.67 |
| 13.5 | Shots faced per match 4 / 5 matches with data | 14.8 |
| 8.5 | Shots on target faced per match 4 / 5 matches with data | 7.4 |
| 2.0 | Big chances faced per match 4 / 5 matches with data | 2.4 |
| 6.8 | Deep completions allowed per match | 5.4 |
| Running & pressing | ||
| — | Distance covered per match (km) 0 / 0 matches with data | — |
| — | Sprints per match 0 / 0 matches with data | — |
| 21.6 | Pressing value (lower is stronger) | 20.0 |
Highlighted values are the stronger side. For goals conceded, shots faced and the pressing value, lower is better.
Injuries & absences
FC Cologne 6
- Ellyes Skhiri Injury Expected back early January 2027
- Imad Rondić Injury Expected back early November 2026
- Ragnar Ache Injury Doubtful
- Rav van den Berg Injury Expected back in about 1-2 weeks
- Thijs Dallinga Injury Expected back late June 2027
- Timo Hübers Injury Expected back early January 2027
Bayer Leverkusen 6
- Christian Kofane Injury Expected return: A few weeks
- Eliesse Ben Seghir Injury Expected back in about 1-2 weeks
- Guéla Doué Injury Expected return: A few weeks
- Kennet Eichhorn Injury Expected back late October 2026
- Martin Terrier Injury Expected back early December 2026
- Moussa Diaby Injury Expected back mid November 2026
Latest pre-match snapshot; coverage varies by league.
Limitations
Based on 10 recent matches (10 with expected-goals data).
- Injury snapshots start from 2026-09-17; earlier absences are not reflected.