After Thursday's narrow, 1-0 Europa League defeat against the Belgian runners-up Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, the focus for 1. FC Union Berlin now must turn back towards the Bundelsiga. To 1. FC Köln, this year's German European Conference League participant, for the sixth game of the season. Kick-off is on Sunday, 11.09.2022 at 15:30 at the RheinEnergieSTADION in Köln.

The opponents

This Köln side can be happy after a good start in the German top flight this year, as one of only three teams (alongside Union and FC Bayern Munich) not to have suffered defeat in the first five games so far. "Effzeh" have shown their resilience - they are the comeback kings - with five of their nine points accrued having come from behind.

Köln started their Conference League campaign on Thursday with a 1-1 draw against OGC Nice.

That they have continued to keep pace with the top group in the league is noteworthy, the destruction of last season's squad being greater than even expected, particularly with  the dpartures of Salih Özcan and Anthony Modeste - two of the first names on the team-sheet - moving to Borussia Dortmund. Modeste in particular, with his 20 goals - more than a third of all those Köln scored, including his brace at home against Union  - was one of the primary factors in their finish among the European spots last season.

As with last year their 49 year old head coach, Steffen Baumgart, remains faithful to his flat back four, preferring to save his variations for the spaces in front of them. Under Baumgart 1. FC Köln will always press high up the pitch and look to play offensive football.

The head-to-head

Since both clubs achieved promotion in 2018 /19 the Bundesliga matches between Union and Köln so far have been pretty decisive. With the exception of the 2-2 in the first half of last season, Union have won every time they've met in the top flight.

The personnel

Head coach Urs Fischer will have to do without Danilho Doekhi for the match. Otherwise, the entire squad will be available.

The coach's view on the match

"Köln are doing very well at the moment", said Urs Fischer, Union's head coach at his press conference on Saturday. "They've made up for the players they've lost, and they've got a good mix on the pitch. On the one hand they lure you in, but they they'll break suddenly."

Matchday information: No more remaining tickets

No more away tickets are available. Further information on the away trip can be found here. The match will be broadcast live on DAZN. As usual, Union will also provide information on the match in the club's own live ticker (in german) and there will be English updates on Twitter.