FC KOLN - SCHALKE 04
This is priced as a comfortable favourite. Fc Koln is the shortest price on a book of 2.00 / 3.80 / 3.40 (1 / X / 2), an implied 47.3%. Across the three outcomes the book reads 47.3% / 24.9% / 27.8% on an overround of 5.7%.
Liquidity is strong — €69,072 already matched on the 1X2 market, putting this among the most heavily traded fixtures on the card. Prices in a market that deep are far more reliable than in a thin one.
Our monitoring has flagged unusual money on this game: 41% of the matched volume has gone on over 2.5 goals. Treat it as a signal to look closer, not as a tip in itself.
In the league table Fc Koln sit 12th on 7 points (2W 1D 3L) with Schalke 04 15th on 5 points (1W 2D 3L).
Fc Koln read L-W-L-D-L-W across their last 6 in all competitions, most recent first (2W 1D 3L) — more bad than good.
Schalke 04 read L-L-D-W-D-L across their last 6 in all competitions, most recent first (1W 2D 3L) — more bad than good.
Head to head the record reads 2-0-0 — Fc Koln wins, draws, then Schalke 04 wins. Their last meeting finished Fc Koln - Schalke 04: 1-0.
Fc Koln team news: Joël Schmied has been given the all-clear to play despite picking up a knock against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Fc Koln team news: Although Ragnar Ache has resumed training, he's not yet ready to feature in this match.
Schalke 04 team news: Schalke will wait until the last minute to decide on Edin Dzeko's availability following his injury against Mainz 05.
Schalke 04 team news: The trip to Cologne will be without Max Wöber, Kenan Karaman and Moussa Sylla, who are all unavailable.
Fc Koln are without 6 — Thijs Dallinga (Out - injured), Ellyes Skhiri (Out - injured), Timo Hübers (Out - injured), Rav van den Berg (Out - injured), Ragnar Ache (Out - unfit), Imad Rondic (Out - injured).
Schalke 04 are without 6 — Kenan Karaman (Out - injured), Max Wöber (Out - injured), Dejan Ljubicic (Out - unfit), Edin Dzeko (Doubtful - injured), Bryan Lasme (Out - unfit), Moussa Sylla (Out - injured).
Confirmed lineups are in: Fc Koln set up 4-2-3-1 against 3-4-2-1. See the pitch graphic above for the full XI.
Fc Koln lean hardest on Marvin Schwabe (9.5), Tom Krauss (8.6), Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (8.4) on our Player Index — how much of the side's football each man accounts for, out of 10. It measures involvement and cover, not performance.
Thijs Dallinga is out for Fc Koln — index 5.3, against 8.3 for the best cover we hold at his position. Well covered.
Ellyes Skhiri is out for Fc Koln — index 7.4, against 8.3 for the best cover we hold at his position. Well covered.
Ragnar Ache is out for Fc Koln — index 6.4, against 8.3 for the best cover we hold at his position. Well covered.
Schalke 04 lean hardest on Loris Karius (9.5), Timo Becker (9.3), Hasan Kurucay (9.3) on our Player Index — how much of the side's football each man accounts for, out of 10. It measures involvement and cover, not performance.
Kenan Karaman is out for Schalke 04 — index 6.9, against 7.3 for the best cover we hold at his position. Well covered.
Max Wöber is out for Schalke 04 — index 5.6, against 7.0 for the best cover we hold at his position. Well covered.
Dejan Ljubicic is out for Schalke 04 — index 6.5, against 7.3 for the best cover we hold at his position. Well covered.
Edin Dzeko is out for Schalke 04 — index 7.3, against 6.9 for the best cover we hold at his position. Well covered.
Moussa Sylla is out for Schalke 04 — index 6.8, against 7.3 for the best cover we hold at his position. Well covered.
Played at RheinEnergieStadion, capacity 50,000.
The projected score for this one is Fc Koln 2 - 2 Schalke 04, a draw with 4 goals in it — on the right side of the 2.5 line.
The read: Fc Koln at 2.00 is the side the market is with, and nothing in the data above argues against it.
This analysis is generated automatically from BTFNews odds, market and statistical data at 14:00 on 24th October 2026. It is information, not advice — always check team news before the off.