1. FC Cologne
From world champions to Bayern scouts: celebrities see heated European duel
11/27/2025 – 1:56 a.mReading time: 3 minutes
1. FC Köln faces the next challenge in the UEFA Youth League. In the 1-1 (0-1) draw against FC Midtjylland, the stands were full of people.
The 1. FC Cologne in Europe – that was a good reason for a well-known visit to the Geißbockheim on Wednesday evening, including in the case of the A-Juniors. The FC Midtjylland was a guest in Cologne for the first leg of the third round of the UEFA Youth League. An illustrious group in the stands shook hands.
Not a given, because at a youth game, practically all of the billy goats’ executives were in the Franz Kremer Stadium. The managing directors Philipp Türoff and Philipp Liesenfeld, the board trio around President Jörn Stobbe, sports director Thomas Kessler and his right-hand man Lukas Berg, as well as almost the entire coaching and support team of the Bundesliga professionals came.
Seeing FC in Europe, even if “just” with the U19s, drew almost 4,200 fans to the green belt, as in round two. But because of the high-class opponent, other celebrities also came. After all, the Danish top club Midtjylland is one of the best training clubs in Europe, and so it was hardly surprising that various scouts and advisors also came.
A license scout from the FC Bayern Munich came as well as the player agents from several major agencies. FC legend and 1990 world champion Pierre Littbarski also sat in the stands and watched the stars of tomorrow. Cologne’s record player and record goalscorer 2nd BundesligaMatthias Scherz, was also there. They all saw a heated and high-class duel.
In a balanced game, the Danes took the lead shortly before half-time. After a free kick from 20 meters against the post, Julius Emefile scored 0-1 (44th). But FC found their way back into the game immediately after the break. U17 national player Benjamin Ley had the equalizer on his feet, and Fynn Schenten was there to take the rebound. The FC striker shot the ball from 18 meters into the near corner with his right to make it 1-1 (49th) – his third goal in the third Youth League game.
The Billy Goats were the better team from then on, but were very unlucky in the end. Jason Ponente-Ramirez missed the best chance with a remarkable shot from 14 meters onto the crossbar (57th). Also Kevin Ekweribe (86th) and Thierry Karadeniz (87th). They had the winning goal on their feet, but failed in front of the Danish goal.
When the game was already in stoppage time, it came to an ugly end. After winning the ball with combined strength in his own half against Midtjylland’s Bilal Konteh, the Danes’ defensive player lost control of his nerves. The 18-year-old first pushed a Cologne player, then threw a ball at another FC youngster and finally triggered a pack formation in which he grabbed another Cologne player in the face.
To the surprise of everyone involved, Konteh didn’t see a red card but got away with a yellow card. But the heated conclusion should only be the introduction to the second leg. Both teams will meet in two weeks Denmark. Then hundreds of FC fans will once again make their way to support the billy goats. In the second round there were around 1,500 Cologne supporters Luxembourg traveled. The FC assumes that up to a thousand Cologne fans will be there again for the second leg on December 10th.