In the football league, the last game of the 21st matchday of the 1. FC Cologne and Schalke 04. This duel promises a lot of excitement, because it is also a fight for Europe. The Cologne players can leap to a Champions League place on this day, while the Schalke players want to shorten their gap to the top positions.
Koln
In the first leg, the goatbucks will be happy to remember, because on Schalke, the FC a 3-1 away-from-home. Now the return is at the door and the signs are significantly changed. The FC Schalke 04 is no longer a table front, but on the advance to Europe. “They showed that they are on the uphill,” said coach Peter Stöger regarding the appearance of the squires in Saloniki. The Cologne team is also confident that they will be in the lead with 32 points and will be able to make a big leap in the table on this day. Lastly, Cologne lost in Freiburg (1: 2), but their results in the last few months can only be judged positively, as Cologne lost only two of the last ten games. On the last three games the FC had two wins in Darmstadt (6: 1) and Wolfsburg (1: 0). At home, they are among the strongest teams in the league. In nine home games they remained undefeated and won five games and four draws with a goal difference of 14: 4. As far as the squad is concerned, Stöger has to do without Leonardo Bittencourt, Timo Horn, Marcel Risse, Matthias Lehmann and Artjoms Rudnevs.
Schalke
FC Schalke 04 showed an impressive performance during the week in the Europa League and won the first leg at PAOK Saloniki 3-0. This success underscores the emerging form, as it shows a clear increase compared to the previous year. The team played more solidly and also appeared in the defensive more orderly. In February, the squad members contested four competitive games, scoring three wins and a draw. In Munich (1: 1) you could have won, so you can even judge this draw as a felt victory. In the Bundesliga the Schalke celebrated an unsuccessful 2-0 home victory over Hertha BSC last weekend. A strong impression was made by striker Guido Burgstaller. The Austrian already scored three goals in six games for Schalke. In the offensive, coach Markus Weinzierl has now also an additional option, because Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is available again and ranked on Thursday also among the scorers. Weinzierl must refrain from the long-time injured Abdul Rahman Baba, Coke, Breel Embolo and Franco Di Santo. Even midfielder Nabil Bentaleb is injured.
Koln – Schalke, Tipp & Conclusion – 19.02.2017
In the last ten matches a total of 35 goals were scored – an average of 3.5 goals per game. In the last three encounters, the away team always scored three goals.
Prediction: Over 2 goals
Odds: 1.70
