Darmstadt-Cologne is a match valid for the 13th day of the Bundesliga and is played Friday at 8:30 p.m.: TV, likely formations, predictions.
The 13th day of the Bundesliga opens with what, as of today, is for all intents and purposes a salvation clash. Newly promoted Darmstadt is 15th and currently floating just above the relegation zone, while the situation facing Cologne, once again at the bottom of the standings after their defeat a week ago against Bayern Munich, is more complex.
The season of Darmstadt, which returned to the top flight last summer after a 6-year absence, had suddenly flared up in the first week of October with back-to-back double successes with Werder Bremen and Augsburg, but they remained isolated cases. Since then, the Lilien have failed to win, and in the last two days they have limited the damage by coming away unscathed from matches with Mainz (0-0) and Freiburg (1-1). A performance in any case in line with what were the expectations: coach Torsten Lieberknecht is aware that in order to achieve salvation there will be pain. Improving in non-possession of the ball must be the first goal for Darmstadt, which has to deal with what is by far the most beaten defense in the tournament with 33 goals conceded in 12 days.
Cologne, on the other hand, has the opposite problem. And that is that it struggles to score goals: it has barely scored nine, three of them in its only win against Borussia Monchengladbach.
(Baumgart TheVeggente.it (Ansa)
The club continues to give confidence to Steffen Baumgart, who has been confirmed on the bench despite the fact that the situation is far from the best. The Billy Goats, who finished seventh and 11th in the last two seasons, would theoretically have what it takes to climb back up the ladder, but to do so, they will need to start by winning direct clashes such as the one with Darmstadt: a victory, in fact, would allow Cologne to leapfrog Union Berlin and Mainz and join the Lilien themselves in fourth-last place.
The prediction
You can give confidence to a Cologne side that offered a good performance against Bayern Munich in the last round, especially in its own half. The guests should be able to at least avoid defeat in a match of less than four goals total.
The probable lineups of Darmstadt-Cologne
DARMSTADT (3-4-2-1): Schuhen; Klarer, Müller, Maglica; Bader, Mehlem, Holland, Nürnberger; Skarke, Honsak; Seydel.
COLONIA (4-2-3-1): Schwäbe; Carstensen, Hübers, Chabot, Paqarada; Martel, Kainz; Thielmann, Uth, Maina; Selke.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
