Dortmund vs Cologne Prediction for 26 October 2025 - Football

🔊 The Saturday fixtures of Bundesliga's Matchday 8 conclude at Signal Iduna Park, where Borussia Dortmund host Köln. The home side returns to their fortress after a defeat in Munich and a victory in Copenhagen. Köln, on the other hand, are unbeaten in their last two matches and will look to provide a stern challenge to Dortmund. Will they succeed? Let's delve into our prediction.

Head-to-Head

📊 In the last 33 encounters, Dortmund hold a massive advantage with 22 victories compared to Cologne's 5, along with 6 draws. Last season, the clubs did not face each other as Cologne were competing in the 2. Bundesliga.

Borussia Dortmund Team Overview

🟡 In the last round, the "Bees" traveled to Munich for Der Klassiker, hoping to be the first team this season to take points off Bayern Munich. However, it wasn't meant to be, as Kovac's side suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat. While Bayern had the upper hand, Dortmund put up a commendable fight and certainly didn't falter. Julian Brandt found the net following a cross from Julian Ryerson. This defeat marked Borussia's first loss in both the league and the season overall, having gone unbeaten in their previous nine matches. Unfortunately for the "Bees" supporters, this result pushed the team further from the top spot—now trailing Bayern by seven points. Moreover, the club has slipped out of the top three, with Leipzig and Stuttgart occupying those positions. To climb back, they'll need to find their winning ways in the league once more.

🏆 The sting of that defeat was soothed by a midweek European fixture. Dortmund traveled to Copenhagen and comfortably secured three points, redeeming themselves after the league setback with a 4-2 victory. Felix Nmecha scored twice, while Rami Bensebaini (from the penalty spot) and Fábio Silva, netting his debut goal for the "Bees," added to the tally. This win was Borussia's second in the Champions League group stage. After three rounds, Kovac's squad sits in sixth place with seven points.

Cologne Team Overview

🔴 The "Billy Goats" hosted Augsburg in the last round and couldn't secure their second win at the RheinEnergieStadion, finishing 1-1. Lukas Kwasińek's side showed dynamic play and posed threats to the "Fuggers" in the first half, but the ball just wouldn't find the net. In the second half, Köln conceded first when Dominik Heinz's careless play in the box led to a penalty, which left Marvin Schwäbe with no chance. After that, the hosts struggled to regain control of the ball, and Augsburg continued to threaten from distance, but Schwäbe was up to the task, making three crucial saves. Köln managed to equalize in the 76th minute: after regaining possession on their half, they launched a swift counter-attack. Substitute Marius Bülter, recently back from injury, delivered a pass to Saido El-Mal on the flank, who cut into the center of the box and scored a stunning goal off the crossbar. This marked the fifth goal contribution for the 19-year-old winger in seven rounds, with three goals and two assists to his name. Undoubtedly, he's catching the attention of top European clubs and will be a key asset for the "Billy Goats" against Dortmund. Currently sitting in 6th place, a win at Signal Iduna Park would put Köln level on points with Borussia.

Latest news

Borussia Dortmund

🎙 Niko Kovac on the victory over Copenhagen: "We had to adapt to our opponent. The first half was quite slow; we had a lot of possession, but the pace was lacking. However, we had everything needed to rectify that after the break. The guys showed it immediately and secured a well-deserved win. We needed the penalty as a catalyst to ease the pressure on the pitch. After that, we saw that we have players who can create scoring opportunities out of nothing. I'm thrilled for Felix – he scored his first career brace. I'd also like to highlight Jobe Bellingham – he put in a really solid performance."

📝 Borussia are striving to keep their leader Nico Schlotterbeck, banking on his emotional ties to the club. The management aims to leverage the player's and his family's deep connection with Dortmund. Hans-Joachim Watzke is appealing to the defender's emotions, suggesting he can become a global star here, much like Mats Hummels. It's worth noting that Schlotterbeck has attracted interest from Europe's top clubs. Nico plans to decide on his future in the new year.

💰 Borussia have made Karim Adeyemi an initial offer to extend his contract. The club expects negotiations to involve several rounds. The management is willing to stretch their budget for his salary, as replacing him would be significantly costlier. Adeyemi, who is being monitored by Barcelona, understands the need for a coach who can guide and develop him. Niko Kovac has elevated the forward's game and is also involved in the negotiations.

🚑 Serhou Guirassy continues to struggle with hip issues, which have noticeably affected his form. Incidentally, the Guinean is nominated for African Player of the Year.

❌ Emre Can and Julien Duranville continue their recovery.

Cologne

🎙 Lukas Kwasniok's Press Conference: "I still feel nervous before every match. It's an honor to coach Köln in the Bundesliga. The conditions in Dortmund are different. Moreover, my son is a huge Dortmund fan, and there was always something special about going there with him. Standing on the sidelines now will be an unforgettable experience. It would be even better if it turns into a positive result. Playing in Munich right now is nearly impossible. Additionally, it's worth mentioning that Borussia have changed their approach since the coaching change. They used to be a team that played inconsistently and didn't always give their all. Niko Kovac has impressively corrected this. The team is hardworking and committed. They won't give up and will attack us on Saturday, making us nervous."

❌ Jan Thielmann will miss several matches due to a thigh muscle injury. Linton Maina might not play due to illness. Central defenders Rav van den Berg and Luca Kilian are also currently unavailable.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match will be officiated by Benjamin Brand. Over his last 10 games, he has averaged 4.5 yellow cards per match. Borussia's average for cautions stands at 1.7, while Cologne's is 1.9. We suggest considering the option of total yellow cards over 2.5, which has occurred in 5 of the last 6 matches involving both teams.

⚽ Goal Predictions

There's little doubt about the home side finding the net, but what about the visitors? Cologne have scored in all 8 matches this season, while Borussia have conceded in their last 4 games consecutively. Clearly, the "Billy Goats" will play on the counter, a strategy they've mastered by punishing opponents with their finishing. Our prediction: Cologne will score.

🚩 Corner Predictions

The average corner statistics for both teams are nearly identical, with each club delivering around 4.9 corners per game. We opt for Cologne's individual total over 2.5 corners, a bet that has come through in 11 of their last 12 head-to-head meetings and in 22 of Cologne's last 23 matches overall.

In their match in Copenhagen, Borussia demonstrated that their defeat to Bayern hasn't affected the team's mental state. The "Black and Yellows" return to Signal Iduna Park with a clear mission – to get back on the winning track in the league. Köln are a team that never goes down without a fight and have scored in all their away matches so far. However, Kovac's squad boasts significantly higher quality, so we're backing Borussia Dortmund to win with a -1 handicap, considering the visitors might find the net – predicting a scoreline of 3-1.