FC Koln vs Schalke
German Bundesliga
Date: 7 August 2022, Sunday
Kick-off at 17:30 UK / 18:30 CET
Venue: RheinEnergieStadion (Koln).
FC Koln and Schalke will close the Matchday No 1 of the 2022/23 Bundesliga season on Sunday afternoon when they take on each other at RheinEnergieStadion.
Schalke did not need much time to return to the elite-class football as they won the 2. Bundesliga campaign in the first time of asking last season.
Schalke have made some pretty strange moves in the off-season, namely appointing the former Arminia Bielefeld manager Frank Kramer as the new head coach.
Kramer was sacked from Bielefeld in the second half of the last season in the top flight of German football and it will be very interesting to see how he will do at newly-promoted Schalke.
The visitors are obviously one of the unknowns at the start of the competition because they have made so many changes in the squad this summer.
The additions include the likes of Maya Yoshida, Cedric Brunner, Sebastian Polter, Rodrigo Zalazar, and Thomas Ouwejan, all of whom were in the starting lineup in the 0-5 victory over lower-division Bremer seven days ago in the opening round of DFB Pokal.
Speaking of the German Cup, FC Koln did not have much luck with the early draw since it gave them the trip to Regensburg for the clash against the hottest team at the start of the 2022/23 2. Bundesliga campaign.
Koln fell on penalties to Jahn Regensburg last weekend after a 2-2 stalemate in the regular time. Can they bounce back at the beginning of the league campaign?
FC Koln vs Schalke Head-to-head
- FC Koln will rely on tradition as they have generally done very well in the home clashes against Schalke over the course of history.
- FC Koln will also enter this tie on the back of three straight victories over Schalke.
- Both teams scored in four of the previous six head to head encounters.
FC Koln vs Schalke Prediction
FC Koln have a very strong firepower on display in the final third with the likes of Mark Uth (was on target last weekend at Jahn Regensburg), Anthony Modeste (the team’s top scorer in the last several years), and Sargis Adamyan (the latest acquisition), all of whom started the cup tie at Jahn Regensburg eight days ago.
We can hardly see Schalke’s back line resisting the hosts’ dangerous offense as the home win pick looks as a great betting option at the 1.72 odds.
FC Koln vs Schalke Betting Tips
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FC Koln to win @ 1.72 (8/11)
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Over 3.5 goals FT @ 2.30 (13/10) odd.
