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Werder Bremen logo
Bundesliga | Gameweek 34
Jun 27, 2020 at 2.30pm UK
Weserstadion
Koln logo

Werder Bremen
6 - 1
FC Koln

Osako (22', 58'), Rashica (27'), Fullkrug (29'), Klaassen (55'), Sargent (68')
Vogt (49')
FT(HT: 3-0)
Drexler (62')
Uth (29'), Ehizibue (57')

Preview: Werder Bremen vs. FC Koln - predictions, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Bundesliga clash between Werder Bremen and Koln, including team news and predicted lineups.

Werder Bremen will have one final chance to avoid an automatic relegation to the German second division when they play host to FC Koln in the final weekend of the Bundesliga season on Saturday.

Koln, meanwhile, have already been assured of their top-flight status despite a woeful set of results in the last few weeks.


Match preview

Werder Bremen's Leonardo Bittencourt pictured on May 30, 2020© Reuters

Bremen, a team that were Bundesliga champions as recently as the 2003-04 season, are fighting for their lives at the foot of the table after a truly dispiriting campaign.

Die Werderaner's 3-1 loss to Mainz 05 last weekend means they are condemned to finish in the bottom three for the first time since 1979-80 season, and their slim hopes of avoiding a 17th-placed standing will depend on Fortuna Dusseldorf's result against Union Berlin.

As things stand, Bremen are two points adrift of Dusseldorf in the relegation playoff spot, so Florian Kohfeldt's side would either have to win and hope Dusseldorf lose – or Dusseldorf draw to Union and Werder beat Koln by a five-goal margin.

The latter seems highly unlikely given their performances this term, but one thing is for sure in both scenarios – Bremen simply have to win this weekend to keep any hope of retaining their top-flight status alive.

Should they manage to leapfrog Dusseldorf into the 16th-placed playoff spot, they would be facing one of either Stuttgart, Heidenheim or Hamburg for the right to play in the pinnacle of German football next season.

Koln head coach Markus Gisdol pictured on May 27, 2020© Reuters

With regards to Koln, they have already secured their top-flight status for the 2020-21 campaign, although that was largely in part to their performances before the coronavirus-enforced postponement.

Schalke and Paderborn are the only other teams besides Koln that haven't tasted victory since the restart; Koln have drawn four and lost four of their last eight in the Bundesliga.

Nevertheless, a terrific return of eight wins from 10 between December and March was enough to distance Markus Gisdol's side from the drop zone and a swift return to the 2.Bundesliga.

Koln can still finish as high as 11th with a victory if Mainz, Schalke and Union Berlin all lose their final games of the season, but Gisdol will no doubt be disappointed by how his side have taken their foot off the gas at this stage, something he must address if they want to compete at the highest level for a little while longer.

A first-half strike from Jhon Cordoba was enough for Koln to take all three points against Bremen when the sides last locked horns in December.

Werder Bremen Bundesliga form: WLLWLL

Koln Bundesliga form: LLDLLD


Team News

Werder Bremen attacker Milot Rashica in action against Borussia Dortmund on February 4, 2020© Reuters

Bremen were dealt a huge blow against Mainz as Theodor Gebre Selassie was forced off with an ankle problem, and the defender is not expected to play a part in the final weekend of the season.

Milot Rashica picked up an injury during training on Wednesday and could also sit this one out - a nightmare ordeal for Kohfeldt at a time where he needs his strongest squad possible.

Kevin Vogt, Nuri Sahin and Kevin Mohwald all remain sidelined for Bremen. Defender Omer Toprak is back in training but is unlikely to be risked.

As far as Koln are concerned, Florian Kainz will miss out after picking up his fifth booking of the season in their draw with Frankfurt.

Kainz's absence opens up a spot for Dominick Drexler to come into the fold having started on the bench last time out, but Jonas Hector is unlikely to be involved due to a groin problem.

Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:
Pavlenka; Veljkovic, Langkamp, Moisander; Lang, Eggestein, Klaassen, Friedl; Osako; Bittencourt, Sargent

Koln possible starting lineup:
Horn; Leistner, Bornauw, Czichos; Ehizibue, Skhiri, Rexhbecaj, Jakobs; Drexler; Uth, Cordoba


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Werder Bremen 2-1 Koln

Bremen are preparing for one of the most important fixtures in the club's history, and it is somewhat of a blessing that they are coming up against a Koln side without victory since March.

There are no two ways about it - this is a must-win game for Kohfeldt's men. We reckon they are capable of pulling off a narrow victory, but their fate will be sealed if Dusseldorf pick up at least a point in their clash with Union Berlin.



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Written by
Ben Knapton

Data Analysis

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a FC Koln win with a probability of 43.94%. A win for Werder Bremen had a probability of 31.22% and a draw had a probability of 24.8%.

The most likely scoreline for a FC Koln win was 0-1 with a probability of 9.18%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-2 (9.1%) and 0-2 (7.15%). The likeliest Werder Bremen win was 1-0 (7.51%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (11.69%). The actual scoreline of 6-1 was predicted with a 0.1% likelihood.


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3Eintracht FrankfurtFrankfurt1483334201427
4RB Leipzig148332315827
5Freiburg147342019124
6Stuttgart146532924523
7Mainz 05Mainz146442519622
8Borussia DortmundDortmund146442521422
9Werder Bremen146442224-222
10Wolfsburg146353125621
11Borussia MonchengladbachBorussia M'bach146352319421
12Union BerlinUnion Berlin144551315-217
13Augsburg144461627-1116
14Hoffenheim143561926-714
15St Pauli143291119-811
16Heidenheim1431101831-1310
17Holstein Kiel1412111437-235
18VfL BochumVfL Bochum1403111135-243


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