Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten run against Köln offers a timely edge

Köln’s home strength meets a familiar hurdle

Bayer Leverkusen travel to Cologne looking to halt a run of two consecutive defeats, with the recent record against 1. FC Köln offering a compelling counterpoint to their current form. Leverkusen have won all five of the sides’ last meetings, while Köln have not won any of them.

There is a meaningful league gap to bridge: Leverkusen sit sixth with 13 points after eight matches, four points and seven places above 13th-placed Köln. Yet Köln’s home record makes this more than a straightforward assignment. They have taken two wins and two draws from four league games at the RheinEnergieStadion.

Contrasting runs

Köln’s latest league match ended in a draw, their second in a row, and they are now three matches without a win. Across their last five league games, they have recorded one win, two draws and two defeats, scoring four goals and conceding five.

Leverkusen’s recent sequence has swung the other way. They have lost their last two league matches, but their last five still include three wins and two defeats. They have scored 10 goals and conceded 11 in that span, while their eight league matches overall have produced 18 goals for and 16 against.

Leverkusen own the recent rivalry

The head-to-head record is the central storyline: Leverkusen have won each of the last five meetings, with no draws and no Köln victories. The most recent encounter, in April 2026, finished 2-1 to Leverkusen at Köln’s ground. Their run also includes a 2-0 away win in the league and a 3-2 victory in the DFB Pokal.

A chance to reset

Köln have conceded four goals in four home league matches and kept one clean sheet there, a sound platform for the challenge ahead. Leverkusen, meanwhile, have scored eight goals in four away league games but conceded 11 and are yet to keep a clean sheet on the road. Both sides’ recent numbers suggest there could be opportunities at either end.

Recent results in focus

Leverkusen’s five straight wins in this fixture make the visitors’ record impossible to ignore, even with their current two-match losing run. Köln’s home resilience gives them reason to believe they can make the contest close, but their opponents have repeatedly found a way through in this matchup.

Our prediction

Leverkusen’s stronger scoring record and dominance in recent meetings point towards another narrow away win. Köln’s home performances should keep them in the game, but Leverkusen’s attacking output gives them the edge.

1. FC Köln 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen