The table-toppers entertain the bottom club: on paper FC Bayern are clear favourites for Wednesday evening's encounter (live in English from 20.30 CET on our ticker and FC Bayern TV PLUS Web Radio). But beware! The men from Munich have gone unbeaten against 1. FC Köln in eight Bundesliga matches, but they have won only three of their last nine Bundesliga home matches against the Rhineland outfit, losing one and drawing five. fcbayern.com has delved into the facts and figures prior to the match.
Strong away record for Köln
The overall record favours Bayern, who have won 42 and lost 23 of 88 matches, with 23 games ending in a draw. The Bavarians have won 21 out of 44 home matches, drawing 14. Their biggest home victory dates back to 1971, when Bayern downed Köln 7-0 (photo). But nine home defeats mean a negative record as FCB have lost more matches on their home field against Köln than against any other side. Besides, Bayern have conceded the second-most goals at home against the men from Cologne. But matches in Munich have not always been a good omen for the Billy Goats. They have conceded 93 goals away to Bayern, more than against any other team.
Heynckes‘ reunion with Veh
Köln's new sporting director Armin Veh has only played in the Bundesliga with Jupp Heynckes as his head coach. Veh has made 65 Bundesliga appearances, scoring three goals. Veh and Heynckes have crossed swords as coaches five times, and today's Bayern coach has won four of them, losing only their first encounter, when Stuttgart beat Gladbach under Heynckes in the 2006/07 season. Their most recent encounter dates back to the 2012/13 season, when the Bayern head coach sealed the earliest championship triumph in the Bundesliga's history, winning 1-0 away to Frankfurt.
Pizarro's reunion with Bayern
Claudio Pizarro joined 1. FC Köln at the end of September, and Wednesday evening's match will bring a reunion with his former team-mates. The Peruvian has made 224 Bundesliga appearances in nine years wearing Bayern colours, scoring 87 goals.
Both sides with best-marks
Bayern boast the league's most prolific attacking unit, having netted 35 times so far, equal with Dortmund. The Bavarians have had 38 gilt-edged chances, more than any other Bundesliga team. Seven Bayern goals have come from headers, whereas no other Bundesliga team boasts more than five. 282 shots taken are another best-mark. Köln are experts in late goals, scoring four of their nine goals this season in the last quarter-hour: 44 percent are a best-mark in the league. The conversion rate is Köln's biggest problem: the Billy Goats have only taken seven percent of their chances.
Strong record against bottom clubs
Bayern have won 14 of their last 17 matches with the bottom club, drawing three. FCB's last defeat to a bottom team dates back to March 2008, when they lost 2-0 away to Cottbus.
Siebert in charge
Daniel Siebert will be the man with the whistle for Wednesday evening's clash between Bayern and Köln. The 33-year-old referee from Berlin takes charge of his third match involving the German record champions this season. Siebert most recently oversaw the 2-0 home victory over Leipzig in October. His assistants will be Lasse Koslowski and Jan Seidel, with Tobias Reichel as fourth official and Dr Jochen Drees as video assistant.
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