1. FC Köln vs FC Schalke 04: Bundesliga preview

Bundesliga

1. FC Köln

L4 Sep · VfB Stuttgart 4-1 1. FC KölnD12 Sep · 1. FC Köln 1-1 Werder BremenL19 Sep · Hamburger SV 2-1 1. FC KölnW11 Oct · 1. FC Köln 2-1 Borussia MönchengladbachL16 Oct · Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 1. FC Köln

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FC Schalke 04

D5 Sep · FC Schalke 04 0-0 Bayern MünchenW11 Sep · Union Berlin 1-3 FC Schalke 04D20 Sep · FC Schalke 04 0-0 SV ElversbergL11 Oct · SC Freiburg 2-1 FC Schalke 04L17 Oct · FC Schalke 04 0-1 FSV Mainz 05

Saturday 24 October 2026 · 15:30

Read our prediction →Read the post-match analysisTrack Record

1. FC Köln host FC Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon, a match the bookmakers expect to produce goals, pricing both teams to score at 60% and over 2.5 goals at 57%. Both clubs have found consistent results hard to come by in recent weeks, and this fixture carries real weight for each as they look to put a difficult run behind them.

Form guide

Köln’s last five results make for uncomfortable reading. Their most recent outing was a 0-1 defeat away to Eintracht Frankfurt on 16 October. Five days earlier, they had beaten Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 at home. Before that, they lost 1-2 away at Hamburger SV on 19 September, drew 1-1 at home to Werder Bremen on 12 September, and lost 1-4 away at VfB Stuttgart on 4 September. Taken together, that adds up to one win, one draw and three defeats across the five games, with five goals scored and nine conceded. Köln have kept no clean sheets in that run. The picture splits sharply by venue: in the two home games among their last five they won once and drew once without losing, scoring three and conceding two, while in the three away games among their last five they lost every time, scoring two and conceding seven. Their Bundesliga season confirms that split — unbeaten in three home league games this season with two wins and a draw, but without a point from three away league outings, losing all three.

Schalke's recent form tells a similarly troubled story. Their most recent game was a 0-1 home defeat to FSV Mainz 05 on 17 October. Before that came a 1-2 away defeat at SC Freiburg on 11 October, and before that, on 20 September, they drew 0-0 at home to SV Elversberg, with their win — 3-1 away at Union Berlin — coming nine days earlier still. Their fifth most recent game, on 5 September, was a 0-0 home draw with Bayern München. Across those five matches Schalke have one win, two draws and two defeats, scoring four and conceding four. Their home and away splits diverge markedly. In the three home games among their last five they have failed to win any, drawing two and losing one, and have not scored a single goal while conceding one. In the two away games among their last five they have won once and lost once, scoring four and conceding three. Their Bundesliga season record stands at one win, two draws and three defeats from six games, leaving them fifteenth on five points.

Head to head

The head-to-head record strongly favours the home side. In the last five competitive meetings between the clubs, Köln have won four and Schalke none, with one draw. Ten goals have been shared across those five meetings. The most recent of them, on 9 February 2025, was a 1-0 Köln home win. Before that, on 1 September 2024, Schalke hosted Köln and lost 1-3. A Bundesliga meeting at Schalke’s ground on 29 January 2023 ended 0-0, while Köln beat Schalke 3-1 at home on 7 August 2022. The fifth meeting in this run, on 22 May 2021 at Köln’s ground, finished 1-0 to the hosts.

Team news

Köln go into Saturday with a lengthy absentee list. Thijs Dallinga is ruled out with a knee injury, and Timo Hübers misses out with a knee injury of his own. Ellyes Skhiri is ruled out with an ankle injury, and Rav van den Berg misses out with a muscle injury. Ragnar Ache is doubtful with a thigh injury.

Schalke are also without several players. Kenan Karaman misses out with a muscle injury, and Dejan Ljubičić is ruled out with a knee injury. Ron Schallenberg is ruled out with a leg injury, and Moussa Sylla is also ruled out with a leg injury. Maximilian Wöber misses out with a muscle injury.

What to watch

Köln's expected goals average of 1.66 across their last four matches shows they are creating chances even when results have not followed. Against that, their average xG against of 1.89 over the same four matches signals they have been leaving space at the back.

Schalke’s expected goals average of 0.90 across their last five matches, however, suggests their chance creation has been limited, and Schalke’s missing players — particularly those who have contributed goals and assists this season — add further uncertainty to their attacking options.

Köln enter with eight days' rest since their last match, while Schalke have had seven — a modest difference that gives the hosts a slight edge in recovery time. The bookmakers give Köln a 46% chance of winning, with Schalke at 29%.

Saturday’s fixture brings together two sides who need points, shaped by contrasting home and away identities, a one-sided recent head-to-head and injury concerns on both benches. Whether Köln’s home advantage and historical edge prove enough against a Schalke side that tends to travel better than it hosts will be the central question of the afternoon.