Union Berlin vs Cologne Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Union Berlin and Cologne are not quite safe as they clash in the capital city, heading into the final three games of the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – ESPN

How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – ESPN+

Union Berlin preview: Struggling Union

Marie-Louise Eta became the first woman to be a permanent manager of a club in Europe's top five leagues but her reign at Union has begun with back-to-back defeats, despite some reasonably strong performances.

The hosts come into this one on the back of a 3-1 loss to a strong RB Leipzig side at the Red Bull Arena after they had been beaten 2-1 by a struggling Wolfsburg side in the capital city the week before.

Cologne preview: Could do with a win

They now face a Cologne side that succumbed to a hard-fought 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at the RheinEnergie Stadion side with Luca Waldschmidt scoring what was eventually a consolation in the second-half.

Prior to that defeat to a strong Leverkusen side, Cologne had been improved since the appointment of Rene Wagner with what was a five-match unbeaten run of form in the Bundesliga.

Union Berlin team news: Ronnow out

First-choice goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow is now sidelined due to a groin injury, while Denmark international Robert Skov is working his way back to full fitness.

Predicted XI (3-4-3): Klaus; Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite; Trimmel, Khedira, Haberer, Rothe; Burke, Ilic, Schafer

Unavailable: Ronnow (Injured), Raab (Injured)

Questionable: Skov (Fitness), Jeong (Injured)

Cologne team news: Johannesson suspended

Iceland international Isak Bergmann Johannesson is unavailable for this one as he is missing through suspension as they travel to the capital city.

Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Schwabe; Sebulonsen, Simpson-Pusey, Ozkacar; Maina, Thielmann, Martel, Lund; Kaminski; Bulter, El Mala

Unavailable: Kilian (Injured), Hubers (Injured), Johannesson (Suspended), Ache (Injured)

Questionable: 

Union Berlin vs Cologne prediction

Cologne begin the match day sitting on 31 points with Union Berlin on 32 points. St Pauli are third-from-bottom in the relegation playoff place with 26 points and nine points to play for. Union have been quite good and will fancy themselves to at least score here but Cologne are improving and so both teams scoring would appear a decent bet for this one at Alten Forsterei this weekend.

Union Berlin vs Cologne tip: Both teams to score