Leverkusen against Cologne: Who gives the Cup title the first goal?

Leverkusen against Cologne: Who gives the Cup title the first goal?

On February 5, 2025, the DFB Cup quarter-finals will have a highly expected encounter between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FC Köln. The game will kick off at 8:45 p.m. in the Bayarena in Leverkusen. Leverkusen, reigning German champion and defending champion in the DFB Cup, goes into the encounter as a clear favorite, as the betting odds show with a quota of 1.25 for a home win. In the current DFB Cup season, Leverkusen won all games without conceding a goal, including a 1-0 victory against Bavaria in the round of 16, and is therefore very shape. In addition, the team, led by coach Xabi Alonso, lost only one of the last 54 games in the Bundesliga.

in the Bundesliga Leverkusen is currently taking the lead and has 49 goals the second best attack series. In contrast, 1. FC Köln plays in the 2nd Bundesliga and has sat down to the top of the table with two victories in a row. Despite the success in the 2nd Bundesliga, Cologne has the weakest offensive in the league with only 18 goals achieved. Cologne won the last encounter between the two teams and won 2-1 in May 2023. However, in the last two duels against Leverkusen, Cologne lost at least two goals.

Leverkusen remains on title course

The previous achievements of Leverkusen in the DFB Cup underline their ambitions to defend the title. The team won the last nine DFB Cup games and played impressive five games in a row without conceding a goal. Leverkusen won 13 out of 15 competitive games this season and is therefore in an outstanding constitution. Players like Florian Wirtz, who once played for Cologne, belong to the strong team that is considered a favorite in this competition among bookmakers.

The expected lists indicate that Leverkusen will exist with Kovar in the goal and a strong defense, while Cologne rely on a solid formation to withstand the pressure of Leverkusen. Whether Cologne can assert itself against the offensive strength and the stability of Leverkusen will be shown.

Cologne's challenge in the DFB Cup

Cologne was not able to achieve much in the DFB Cup history in the recent years, but the current quarter-final participation has been the first since 2010. Despite the success in the lower leagues, the team of coach Steffen Baumgart will be a major challenge against the strong Leverkusenians. Cologne recently put his defensive to the test and has only conceded more than one goal in one game since November. Nevertheless, the team could hope for the momentum of the last successes.

The betting odds offer interesting betting options, including for "over/below 2.5 goals", which indicates an exciting encounter. Many experts advise a tip on Leverkusen with a handicap rate of 1.70, which underlines the expectations of a one-sided game.

The game between Leverkusen and Cologne not only promises sporting explosiveness, but also an interesting betting atmosphere for fans and analysts alike. So it remains to be seen whether the favorite will do justice to its status or Cologne can cause a surprise, while the big goal remains unmistakable for Leverkusen: the title in the DFB Cup.