Köln Meets Union Berlin in DFB-Pokal Knockout Clash Ahead of League Rematch

1. FC Köln and 1. FC Union Berlin faced off Tuesday night at RheinEnergieSTADION in the second round of the German Cup, kicking off an intensive stretch that places the two sides against each other twice in five days. The 8:45 p.m. cup fixture provided host Köln an opportunity to secure a berth in the round of 16 on home soil, while Union Berlin arrived in North Rhine-Westphalia seeking to carry their cup momentum into a busy week of domestic competition.

The knockout fixture serves as the opening chapter of what Berlin media described as a "Köln week" for the capital club. Following Tuesday's single-elimination match, the scene shifts to Stadion An der Alten Försterei in Berlin on Sunday afternoon for a matchday Bundesliga rematch. For Köln manager René Wagner, navigating the cup contest carried added significance amid intensifying external scrutiny, especially after his side played to a scoreless home draw against newly promoted Schalke on Saturday. While that result preserved Köln's unbeaten home streak, the hosts could not capitalize on superior scoring opportunities to beat Schalke goalkeeper Loris Karius.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday's kickoff, Wagner addressed the tactical challenges presented by Union Berlin's setup under head coach Mauro Lustrinelli. "It suits us that Union is a team with a similar basic idea to Schalke. Both look for the quick route forward. We want to defend set pieces well again and score goals. That was the main topic in analysis, how we can be more dangerous," Wagner explained. The Köln manager anticipated an intense battle, noting, "It will be a passionate duel between two teams that also have something to prove."

Wagner was forced to assemble his squad around a substantial injury list. The Köln coach was without Imad Rondic, Rav van den Berg, Thijs Dallinga, Ellyes Skhiri, and Timo Hübers. Meanwhile, forward Ragnar Ache remained a day-of-game decision, with Wagner emphasizing that the primary medical objective was ensuring the striker would be available for Sunday's away match in Berlin. The four-time cup champions reached the second round after facing early adversity in their opening match, having trailed third-tier Würzburger Kickers at halftime before Isak Johannesson scored two goals to steer Köln away from an upset.

Union Berlin entered the match seeking continued progress under Lustrinelli, who anticipated a difficult evening on the road. "I expect a strong opponent and that Köln will be ready," Lustrinelli said ahead of the fixture. The Köpenick outfit had staged their own comeback in the tournament's opening round, recovering from two separate deficits against Eintracht Braunschweig to secure a 4-2 win at Eintracht-Stadion. That match saw debutant Zeno Van Den Bosch score the club's first goal under Lustrinelli, while substitute Marin Ljubicic delivered two goals and an assist.

The visitors also had to manage roster adjustments stemming from their recent league action, a 1-1 draw against Augsburg on Bundesliga matchday seven. Both teams finished that contest with ten players after Union center-back Felix Uduokhai received an early red card against his former team. Although Janik Haberer managed to scrape together a second-half equalizer to rescue a point, Uduokhai sustained an injury that ruled him out for Tuesday's cup tie in addition to the league suspension that sidelines him for Sunday's rematch.

With Uduokhai unavailable, Leopold Querfeld stepped into the central defense alongside Van Den Bosch in Union's starting lineup. Lustrinelli also introduced youth forward Mekhi Gray into the starting eleven for the first time in place of Livan Burcu, while backup goalkeeper Matheo Raab returned between the posts for cup duty. Köln's starting selection featured captain Marvin Schwäbe in goal, supported by a defensive line of Sosa, Simpson-Pusey, Schmied, and Castro-Montes, while Berlin native Linton Maina joined Moore, Krauß, and Okon-Engstler in midfield behind attackers Bülter and S. El Mala.