Bayer Leverkusen vs. Cologne: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Schick continues to be sidelined by a calf injury, but Die Werkself have compensated well for a man who has supplied 20 of their 64 goals this season. Moussa Diaby - one of the league's form players at the moment - supplied two in a 3-0 win over Arminia Bielefeld, while they followed that result with an impressive 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich last weekend to consolidate third place. League position counts for little when it is Derby time, though, and Leverkusen will have to be at their best against their Cologne neighbours who share Leverkusen's ambitions of European football next season. Leverkusen are still in Europe this season, with the first leg of their UEFA Europa League last-16 tie against Atalanta to come on Thursday evening. Kerem Demirbay misses that game due to suspension, but he is available to play in the Bundesliga and should keep his place alongside Charles Aranguiz. With Karim Bellarabi still out with a hamstring injury, Amine Adli continues in the attacking midfield, while Lucas Alario is the number one option to lead the attack with Schick still sidelined for a few more weeks.

Cologne make the short trip to Leverkusen with some of the spring taken out of their step by a 1-0 defeat to Hoffenheim last weekend. That loss saw the gap to the top six grow to five points and the Billy Goats will be eager to get back to winning ways after picking up just four points from their past four games. Modeste has failed to find the back of the net in the past two games, but without the added responsibility of captaining the team, with Jonas Hector back this weekend, the French forward should be able to focus on what he does best this Sunday, which is scoring more goals to add to his 15 for the season, already equalling his second-highest haul for a full Bundesliga season. Mark Uth is set to miss out, on the other hand.

Match stats

After Schick, Diaby is Leverkusen's next best for goals with 12, including seven in his last six Bundesliga outings.

Bayer are unbeaten in seven home Bundesliga matches, winning their last three and scoring 12 goals in the process.

Leverkusen (17) are second only to RB Leipzig for Rückrunde points (20). They picked up 20 across the entire second half of last season.

Modeste scored a brace in the reverse fixture. Another double would take him onto 80 Bundesliga goals, and 61 in Cologne colours.

Cologne lead the way league-wide in 2021/22 for most crosses (165) and headed goals (13).

The Billy Goats are yet to lose two straight league games or go more than one without scoring under Baumgart.

Probable line-ups

Leverkusen: Hradecky (c) - Frimpong, Tah, Tapsoba, Bakker - Aranguiz, Demirbay - Adli, Wirtz, Diaby - Alario

Out: Lunev (ankle), Schick (calf)

Doubtful: Bellarabi (hamstring)

Coach: Gerardo Seoane

Cologne: Schwäbe - Schmitz, Kilian, Hübers, Hector (c) - Skhiri, Özcan - Ljubicic, Duda, Kainz - Modeste

Out: Uth (not included)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Steffen Baumgart