Union Berlin v Cologne preview: Bundesliga strugglers meet again

The occasion and the table

Union Berlin host Cologne on matchday 8 of the Bundesliga, with kick-off set for 1 November 2026 14:30. Both clubs are in the lower half of the table, so there is plenty at stake.

Union Berlin sit 17th with 6 points from 7 matches. Their record shows one win, three draws and three defeats, with 6 goals scored and 18 conceded. Cologne are three places higher in 14th on 8 points from 7 matches, having won two, drawn two and lost three, with 8 goals scored and 11 conceded. A win for the hosts would take them level on points with their visitors.

Recent form and home/away records

Union Berlin's most recent match was a 0-5 defeat away to Cologne. Before that they drew 1-1 away at Augsburg, and before that they held Borussia Dortmund to a 0-0 draw at home. Earlier still came a 1-0 home win over Elversberg, and before that a 0-7 defeat away to Bayern Munich. That adds up to one win, two draws and two defeats from their last five.

At home in the Bundesliga this season, Union Berlin have played 4 matches, with one win, two draws and one defeat. They have scored 5 goals and conceded 6 in those games.

Cologne arrive on the back of a 5-0 home win over Union Berlin. Before that they drew 0-0 at home to Schalke 04, and before that they lost 0-1 away to Eintracht Frankfurt. Prior to that they beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 at home, and before that they were beaten 1-2 away at Hamburg. Their last five therefore show two wins, one draw and two defeats.

Their away record is a clear weakness. Cologne have played 3 Bundesliga matches on the road this season and lost all 3, scoring 2 goals and conceding 7.

Previous meetings

The two clubs have met three times in the fixtures listed. The most recent meeting, on 27 October 2026, ended Cologne 5-0 Union Berlin. Before that, on 2 May 2026, the sides drew 2-2 in a match hosted by Union Berlin. On 20 December 2025, Union Berlin won 1-0 away at Cologne.

That leaves one win apiece and a draw across those three meetings. The latest of them was a heavy defeat for Union Berlin, and this fixture gives them a quick chance to respond.

Players to watch

Said El Mala is Cologne's top scorer in the Bundesliga this season with 2 goals. In a side that has found goals hard to come by away from home, his contribution could matter to the visitors.

How the two sides tend to play

The numbers point to a Union Berlin side that has struggled at both ends of the pitch. Their 18 goals conceded is the main concern, and their 6 goals scored is also low. Across their last five matches they scored in only two, but they also kept two clean sheets. Both teams scored in just one of those five games.

Cologne's figures look more balanced, with 8 goals scored and 11 conceded. In their last five matches they scored in three and kept two clean sheets, and both teams scored in two of those games. The contrast between their home results and their away record stands out, with all 3 of their away matches ending in defeat.

Estimated win chances

Estimates from market data, computed by goal888 with the margin removed, give Union Berlin a 35% chance of winning, a draw 28% and Cologne 37%. These are estimates, not a prediction, and they point to a closely balanced match between two sides near the bottom of the Bundesliga table.

Calculated from market prices, not a prediction or betting advice.