1. FC Köln vs. FC Bayern Munich: DFB-Pokal preview, team news & predicted lineups | OneFootball

1. FC Köln will be hoping to cause a major upset in the second round of the DFB-Pokal when they take on Bundesliga champions and leaders Bayern Munich at the RheinEnergieStadion on Wednesday at 20:45 CET.

1. FC Köln

‘The Billy Goats’ have plenty of reason to be proud of their start to the season, sitting eighth in the Bundesliga with 11 points from eight games following their promotion from the second division.

Most recently, however, they suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, as Maximilian Beier scored the winner for BVB six minutes into injury time.

The defeat was a tough pill to swallow for Köln, who now face a David vs. Goliath battle at home against a Bavarian side that have won all of their games so far this season.

The statistics don’t bode well for Köln, who have failed to beat Bayern since 2011, when they won 3-2 after an incredible second-half comeback. Since then, Bayern have won 18 of 20 head-to-head matches, with the remaining two ending in draws.

Köln coach Lukas Kwasniok is well aware of the challenge ahead.

“I looked for weaknesses, but found none. They can cover a lot of ground, run intensely, and are extremely fast in both directions. They can press high, but also defend their goal passionately when necessary. They constantly overwhelm you with the ball. They have clear patterns of play. They don’t shy away from risk and attack with six, seven, sometimes even eight players. I can only take my hat off to them,” Kwasniok said in an interview with dfb.de ahead of the game.

“But we are playing 11 against 11, and the game starts at 0-0. We have a small chance. What I’m most looking forward to is facing Vincent Kompany. I’m glad he extended his contract. He is a very likeable person and an excellent coach. He has molded Bayern into a united team. That is what sets them apart.”

Team News

Köln’s cup goalkeeper, Ron-Robert Zieler, is set for a rare outing between the sticks, replacing Marvin Schwäbe.

Following Timo Hübers’ long-term injury against Dortmund, Eric Martel could drop back into a three-man defense, with Denis Huseinbasic moving into central midfield.

Alongside Hübers, Luca Kilian, Jan Thielmann, and Rav van den Berg are all sidelined

FC Bayern

Bayern Munich have enjoyed a remarkable start to the season, winning all 13 of their games across all competitions so far – and there are no signs of them letting up.

Most recently, Vincent Kompany’s side defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-0, maintaining a five-point lead over RB Leipzig at the top of the Bundesliga table.

Kompany’s first DFB-Pokal campaign as Bayern coach, however, was one to forget, with the Bavarians eliminated in the round of 16 last season following a 0-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.

In fact, it has been five years since Bayern lifted the DFB-Pokal – or even reached the final –making the desire to go all the way to Berlin even greater for the German champions.

“The hunger is great. Everyone’s excited. It’s a knockout match. Everyone wants to get to the final in Berlin again. But Berlin is still a long way away. First we need to get to the next round. Then we’ll see,” said Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund at a press conference on Tuesday.

Bayern’s strong start to the season, combined with their impressive record against Köln, should certainly give Kompany’s men plenty of reason for optimism.

Team News

Jonas Urbig will start in goal in Manuel Neuer’s absence, with the Bayern captain suspended.

Long-term absentees Alphonso Davies, Hiroki Ito and Jamal Musiala remain sidelined, but Bayern have no other injury concerns.

Vincent Kompany may make a few changes to his lineup with important games against Bayer Leverkusen and Paris Saint-Germain on the horizon.

Predicted Lineups

1. FC Köln: Zieler - Schmied, Martel, Özkacar - Sebulonsen, Johannesson, Huseinbasic, Lund - El Mala, Bülter - Kaminski.

FC Bayern Munich: Urbig - Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Guerreiro - Kimmich, Pavlovic - Karl, Gnabry, Diaz - Kane.