Hamburger SV vs. FC Köln preview: Can the visitors end their five-game winless run?

Hamburg SV

With nine games left to play, Hamburg are well placed to secure a second consecutive season of Bundesliga football. Having collected 29 points, HSV are currently sitting in 10th place in the Bundesliga table, boasting a five-point cushion over the bottom three. Three of those 29 points arrived in last Saturday’s 2-1 victory against Wolfsburg, which saw all three goals come from the penalty spot. 

Luka Vušković dispatched his 33rd-minute penalty to cancel out Christian Eriksen’s opener, before Jean-Luc Dompé took over penalty duties to fire HSV into the lead just before the hour mark. Dompé’s third league goal of the season ultimately proved enough to clinch Hamburg’s first win over Wolfsburg since 2018.

After making it four consecutive away games without defeat, Hamburg will now return to the Volksparkstadion, where they will look to avoid a third straight home defeat. The hosts can take confidence from the fact they have won four of their previous five home matches against Köln, including a 1-0 win in last season’s 2.Bundesliga campaign. 

Team News

The hosts are unable to call upon Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit, Fernando Dickes, Bakery Jatta and Yussuf Poulsen. The game will also come too soon for Nicolás Capaldo, who is on the verge of a return to action. 

Predicted lineup: Fernandes; Omari, Vušković, Torunarigha; Mikelbrencis, Remberg, Lokonga, Muheim; Vieira, Otele, Königsdörffer

FC Köln

Like Hamburg, Köln’s sole objective is to avoid an immediate return to the second tier. However, their current position is far more precarious than that of their fellow promoted side. Having mustered 24 points from 25 matches, Köln are sitting just outside the bottom three on goal difference and are four points clear of the automatic relegation spots. 

 Lukas Kwasniok's side have taken just one point from five matches since beating Wolfsburg at the end of January. That poor run of form began with defeats to RB Leipzig and Stuttgart before they played out a 2-2 draw with Hoffenheim at the RheinEnergieStadion. However, instead of building on that point, Köln went on to lose 2-0 away to Augsburg and 2-1 in last Saturday’s home clash with Borussia Dortmund.

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey was dismissed in the closing stages of a first half that saw Serhou Guirassy net the opener for Dortmund. Max Beier added a second on the hour mark, and while Jakub Kamiński pulled a goal back in the 88th minute, it ultimately proved too little too late for Köln.

After falling short on home turf, die Geißböcke will head on their travels with hopes of ending their eight-game winless away run in the Bundesliga. 

Team News

Köln is unable to call upon Timo Hübers, Luca Kilian, Joël Schmied, Jan Thielmann, Denis Huseinbašić and Alessio Castro-Montes due to injury. Simpson-Pusey is suspended following his dismissal against Dortmund, while Fynn Schenten is unavailable due to illness. 

Predicted lineup: Schwäbe; Sebulonsen, Van den Berg, Özkacar, Lund; Martel, Krauß; Niang, Kamiński, S. El Mala; Ache