Bayer Leverkusen vs Koln preview - Leverkusen set for Cologne duel

Posted Friday, November 28, 2014 by PA

The Rhine Derby returns this weekend with Bayer Leverkusen and Cologne renewing acquaintances after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus.

The game will take place for the 55th time, with Cologne winning two of the last three meetings having ended a winless run of 15 games in 1997.

Cologne goalkeeper Timo Horn was only four when Cologne beat Leverkusen 4-0 back then, and although he does know what a derby feels like, having appeared in several at youth level, this will be his first taste of one at senior level.

"It's going to be a big challenge, especially because Leverkusen are nearly always representing the Bundesliga in Europe, but we're really looking forward to playing against their top stars," Horn told the Kolner Stadtanzeiger newspaper.

"If we can take three points that would be sensational. And I think we are capable of it.

"We've already shown against top opponents that we can hold our own and we're not travelling there to get battered and bruised."

At the opposite end of the field, Bernd Leno is preparing for his third derby, having won one and lost one.

The two custodians know each other well having been team-mates for Germany's under-21s.

"I get on really well with Bernd," said Horn. "But of course I want to beat him in this duel. I would even take just a 1-0."

That result would reduce the five-point gap between the two sides and complete a bitter sweet week for Leverkusen.

They were beaten 1-0 at home by Monaco on Wednesday, although that did not prove to be a costly defeat as they nevertheless qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League due to Zenit St Petersburg's win over Benfica.

"We've not managed to score one goal in two games against a Monaco side who don't even appear to want to play football," said Leverkusen's director of sport Rudi Voller.

"At least we've qualified, but we could have sealed top spot. Now we have to do that at Benfica."