Bayer Leverkusen arrive at RheinEnergieStadionVenue·RheinEnergieStadion on Saturday afternoon with clear ambitions: a win would strengthen their grip on a top-four finish and European football, while FC Köln face a battle for BundesligaCompetition·Bundesliga survival against opponents who have dominated this fixture in recent seasons.
The standings tell a stark story. Leverkusen sit sixth with 52 points from 30 matches, nine points clear of seventh place but still four points adrift of fourth-placed Stuttgart. Köln languish in 12th with 31 points, though they remain seven points clear of the relegation zone with four games remaining. For Leverkusen, this is a fixture they cannot afford to drop; for Köln, survival remains the only realistic objective.
Leverkusen's recent form has been mixed. They lost their last league outing to Augsburg and suffered elimination from the DFB-Pokal semi-finals with a 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, yet they remain unbeaten in their last four away league games with two wins and two draws. Away from home at RheinEnergieStadionVenue·RheinEnergieStadion specifically, they have not lost in five visits, recording three victories and two draws.
Köln's trajectory has been gentler but no less concerning. They have won just one of their last six league matches, drawing four of the past five, though they remain unbeaten in that stretch. Their defensive vulnerabilities—conceding 1.8 goals per game at home, the league's worst record—will be tested by a Leverkusen attack averaging 2.27 goals per game. Köln's top scorer Florian KainzPlayer·Florian Kainz has managed eight goals this season, a significant gap behind Leverkusen's VictorPlayer·Victor Boniface, who has 16 goals and 10 assists.
Historically, this fixture belongs to Leverkusen. They have won four consecutive meetings against Köln and lead the head-to-head record across 28 all-time encounters with 16 victories to Köln's seven. The reverse fixture this season saw Leverkusen secure a 2-1 victory, extending their dominance of this Rhine derby.
Team news suggests both sides will field their strongest available lineups. Köln will be without Davie Selke and Elias Saad through injury, while Leverkusen report a full squad available for selection. The visitors' recent struggles in the Pokal and against Augsburg may have sharpened focus; Köln's home record, while unbeaten in their last three matches at the stadium, offers limited encouragement against an opponent of Leverkusen's calibre.
Kickoff is scheduled for 13:30 UTC on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Victor Boniface of Bayer 04 Leverkusen in action. Photo: Eibner/IMAGO
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