Matchday in focus: 1. FC Köln

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Eintracht Frankfurt

·21 November 2025

Matchday in focus: 1. FC Köln

A closer look at the Billy Goats, who have a knack of scoring late goals – but also of conceding from set pieces.

Tactics

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Köln are in ninth place, three points behind Eintracht, going into Matchday 11. Although the Billy Goats have looked stable and had a clear structure for much of the first half of this season, they have had some defensive concerns too. Ten of the 15 goals they have conceded so far have come from set pieces, making them the most vulnerable team in the Bundesliga from dead-ball situations.

“Cologne have an interesting team with a lot of quality,” head coach Dino Toppmöller said on Friday morning. “For me, it’s no surprise that they’re having a good season.”

Toppmöller’s opposite number, Lukas Kwasniok, took over the reins in Cologne at the start of this season and tends to employ a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Absentees

Frankfurt will be without Can Uzun, Hugo Larsson and Oscar Højlund.

For the home side, Timo Hübers and Luca Kilian are both sidelined through injury, while Marius Bülter is doubtful due to a stomach complaint.

One to watch: Jakub Kamiński

Kamiński joined Köln on loan from VfL Wolfsburg over the summer and swiftly became a first-team regular under Kwasniok. “Jakub’s our best player, I’ve said that right from the start,” said the tactician of the 23-year-old.

Jakub Kamiński ...

... has started every Bundesliga game so far this season. Not only that, he has yet to miss a single minute of league action – the only outfield player at the club to do so.
... has registered four goals and an assist in ten Bundesliga outings for the Billy Goats. By way of contrast, he only scored five goals in 78 games for Wolfsburg.
... is second in the league-wide ranking for distance covered this term with a total of 117.8 km.
... represented Poland at U16, U17, U19 and U21 level before making his senior debut in September 2021. The 1.79-metre winger has three goals in 27 senior international appearances to date.

Facts and figures

Köln have scored eight times in the last 15 minutes of their Bundesliga matches so far this season, a league-leading tally they share with Bayern Munich.

The Billy Goats found the net ten times in their first four Bundesliga home games in 2025/26; only Bayern have a better home record this term.

Köln are unbeaten in their last six top-flight meetings with Frankfurt (three wins, three draws). Furthermore, the Cathedral City club have only lost one of their last 17 home games against Eintracht, a 1-0 defeat in September 2017 when Sébastien Haller converted a penalty.

Reunion

Luca Waldschmidt, Marvin Schwäbe and Denis Huseinbasic all came through Eintracht’s youth academy. The former went on to make 17 first-team appearances for the Eagles.

Ellyes Skhiri laced his boots for Köln between 2019 and 2023.

Ragnar Ache was previously on Eintracht’s books for two years.