Perth and Adelaide meet at a point where the first pass out of defence could set the tempo. Perth have had more recovery time, while Adelaide bring a settled attacking core after a short turnaround. Union and Köln meet again after a cup match whose score was wider than the underlying exchange of chances. Their rematch turns on whether Köln can still win the ball early and release its runners against Union's home block.
For Perth, Burkitt pressing Sutton's first pass is the immediate contest; the Adelaide forward has punished a keeper's distribution before. Perth now have Freney back in the squad after he linked play and assisted against Macarthur, then missed the Brisbane match where Perth produced little on target. Lawrence and Kucharski can receive beyond Adelaide's midfield, while Adelaide's Kikianis and Phillis have conceded repeat shots despite long spells of possession. The rest gap gives Perth more scope to sustain that supply later, so I'm siding with Perth to stay with Adelaide.
Köln's Krauß-to-El Mala transition produced the clearest damage in the cup, but Union's home league shape has generally protected the box better. Union can send Skarke or Latte Lath directly behind Köln's fullback and use Aebischer's delivery for Querfeld and the second ball. Uduokhai remains absent, and Köln's central forward absences were already present in the cup; Rönnow's return is a projection, so the case rests on the home block and Union's available exits. I expect Köln to seek early regains and Union to make the next phase more compact, which is why I'm siding with Union to remain level or go ahead.
