Union Berlin and Cologne set for huge relegation six-pointer on Matchday 32

Apr 28, 2026 - 14:30

After a strong start to the campaign, Cologne’s form plummeted, with the Billy Goats taking just two wins in 18 games between Matchdays 10 and 27. Left with no choice but to make changes, in came René Wagner, who took the reins from Lukas Kwasniok.

Since then, stability had been the name of the game for the Cathedral City club, as Wagner has helped steer a now-buoyant Cologne ship to a run of five league games unbeaten (1W, 4D), granted Kwasniok was still in charge for the first two matches of that streak.

However, the Billy Goats’ 2-1 Rhine derby defeat at home to local rivals Bayer Leverkusen last time out handed Cologne’s interim head coach his first loss since assuming the position, leaving his side just five points clear of St. Pauli in the relegation play-off spot – albeit with a significantly stronger goal difference of -8 to Pauli’s -27.

Watch: Cologne 1-2 Leverkusen - highlights