Cologne – Union Berlin: Preview
We count the forecasts for the Cologne vs Union Berlin match in the second round of the 2026/27 German Cup. In the first round of the cup, "Cologne" narrowly beat "Würzburger" (2:1). "Union" comfortably dispatched "Eintracht" Braunschweig (4:2).
Key points
Cologne
1. "Cologne" has not scored in two consecutive matches
With new coach Rene Wagner at the start of the season, the questions are not serious – they don't come to the forefront, but they solve the assigned tasks with confidence. In eight matches so far, "Cologne" has suffered only three defeats across different competitions and has won as many victories. The numbers are not perfect, but, adjusted to the level of possibilities, they are not bad. Yet lately, not only do they fail to win, they also fail to score – first they didn't break "Eintracht"'s defense (0:1), and over the weekend the performance against "Schalke" was poor (0:0). They need to shake things up.
2. There are still many problems in defense and attack
For several weeks the squad situation at "Cologne" has left much to be desired. Among the injuries are defenders Rave van der Berg and Tim Huber, forwards Ragnar Ahe and Tijs Dalling, and midfielder Elie Skiri. Due to accumulated problems, the coach has not been able to carry out a normal rotation in defense, and in attack he usually experiments. He will surely invent something again for the new opponent. However, there will not be an extensive rotation for the cup – in the Bundesliga it is not the practice, and options are not many.
3. The "Caprinos" must face a fairly uncomfortable opponent
There was a time when intrigue in this rivalry was barely present in at least one of the three matches. "Cologne" left no opportunities for "Union" 12 years ago and secured safe victories. But now everything is different – in the last 14 matches "Caprinos" have won only one, thanks to a goal in added time (3:2). Overall, in this phase they have nine defeats – almost all quite close in the scoreline, but entirely fair in play. "Union" has become an uncomfortable rival for the hosts in recent years, and in the cup this is especially important.
Union Berlin
1. The best period for "Union" this season
Although little time has passed, comparisons are already being made. In the first five matches, "Union" had a cup win and a point in the league. It seemed that the setup with Mauro Lustrinelli in charge was not working, but now the visitors look confident, the break between international matches was beneficial. First, the unbeaten streak includes three consecutive matches. Second, the results are impressive – a win over strong "Erfurt" (1:0), an unexpected draw with Dortmund (0:0), and a draw with famous "Augsburg" while down (1:1).
2. No new losses, defensive difficulties continue
As noted earlier, there are many problems both in play and results that the squad has suffered. The defensive line was especially affected, with wing players coming off occasionally. Now in the physiotherapy room Josip Juranović and Andrik Mangraf are still there. On the left the coach has options, but on the other end he must rely on 39‑year‑old veteran Christopher Trimell. This under the condition that there are no experiments. And the central defender Stanley N’coka is also missing, and there are doubts about forward Andrei Ilich. The situation is not optimal.
3. The "Ironmen" fail to beat strong away opponents in the cup
Clearly, the discussion focuses first on the representatives of the elite division. The last time a home success against one of these was more than seven years ago – a win over "Freiburg" (3:1). Since then there have been few such difficult trips, only four – "Stuttgart", "Bayern", Leipzig and "Eintracht" – the "Ironmen" always lost and scored only a couple of goals. However, this time the opponent is not an obvious favorite, but rather a peer, also with a successful history of encounters. A good opportunity opens to break the bad streak and continue the current one.
Approximate lineups
4-2-3-1 4-2-3-11
Schwab 3
Sosa 2
Schmidt 22
Simpson Puy 17
Castro Montes 5
Krauss 8
Johannesson 10
El Malá 47
Mur 29
Tilleman 30
Bülter 1
Rennov 28
Trimell 14
Querfeld 2
Udohai 15
Rote 19
Haberer 8
Hedira 11
U Yong 20
Abisher 7
Berk 29
Latte Latt
Trend bets
In nine of the last ten home matches, "Union" did not lose. Bet: X2 at 1.95.
In five of the last seven home matches, the total standard of goals was not reached. Bet: TM 2.5 at 2.22.
Forecast
Cologne vs Union Berlin 27.10.2026 23:45
One of the most interesting matches in the second round of the German Cup. Not only will elite division representatives face each other, but they are also quite equal in level. Although at the start of the season it didn't seem so. "Cologne" began with confidence in its own terms and alternated difficult matches with successful ones. It didn't blow up, but coach Rene Wagner handled it and avoided clear mistakes. And yet, in two consecutive matches "Caprinos" neither win nor score. "Union", on the other hand, after a terrible start under new coach Mauro Lustrinelli, recovered calmly after a break – three consecutive matches without defeat, with sensational results. So far nothing too impactful, but the Berliners certainly improved in quality and are ready to fight in every game. "Cologne" is the notable favorite, more stable in away results and playing at home, but now has to face a fairly uncomfortable rival – with "Union" in recent years they failed to achieve their goal. We now expect a draw and the continuation.
Prediction: 1-1
