1. FC Köln starts the group phase of the Conference League at OGC Nice. Steffen Baumgart is suspended and will therefore sit in the stands – with over 10,000 other Cologne residents.
Anyone who likes to hang around on social networks can guess how loud it will be for Steffen Baumgart’s seat neighbor on Thursday (September 8th, 2022, 6.45 p.m.) when his 1. FC Köln game at OGC Nice in the Conference League. The FC coach has been suspended and has to watch the game from the stands because he received a second yellow card at Fehervar FC (3-0).
Trainer volcano in the stands – not on the coach
Baumgart as a spectator already existed in February. He was suspended in the Bundesliga and his team had to do without him against SC Freiburg (1-0). In the end there were three points, but above all a lot of glory for the trainer Vulcan. His daughter Emilia posted a video of her cheering father on TikTok – uncensored, including yelling at the TV, swearing at players and attempts to calm the family dog.
In Nice, Baumgart has the opportunity to be closer, if not quite so close. “I’ll take care of the team beforehand, then say goodbye – and probably be heard in the stands,” said the 50-year-old the day before Cologne returned to Europe. In order to really be heard, however, good timing will also be required.
Mood “transferred to the lawn”
Because despite the journey of almost 1150 kilometers, it will almost be a FC home game on the French Cote d’Azur. More than 10,000 Cologne fans will be there in the 35,000-seat stadium in Nice. Those who remember the Europa League season 2017/18, when thousands of FC supporters also traveled through the continent and made the games a real experience, know that there is great euphoria about how good the atmosphere will be in the away block.
With Baumgart, the fans now have a very special spectator by their side. Although he is far from happy about the role. “I have a game like this for the first time. I’ve been working towards it for a long time. And now I have to watch from above. Everyone can imagine what it looks like inside me. That’s sad and a shame,” said Baumgart.
Andre Pawlak represented Cologne head coach Steffen Baumgart on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, his assistant coach Andre Pawlak will coach the team on the sidelines. “Everything has been agreed in advance. It will go as if Steffen would be there. We’ve had that before,” said the 51-year-old, whose goal is for his players to transfer the mood of the fans “to the pitch “.
appreciation on both sides
Nice also has great respect for them. “It’s going to be a very special atmosphere. I have a lot of admiration for what the fans are doing,” said OGC striker Andy Delort. Club president Jean-Pierre Rivere also demands that his team fight against it. “The anticipation for this game is great in Germany, and I would like that to be the case in Nice too. We want to be good hosts. But we also have to show them that we are present.”
That hasn’t happened too often this season, however. The start failed with only five points from the first six league games, Nice is currently only 16th in Ligue 1. “It’s definitely a difficult moment for me as a coach and also for the players. But it’s up to us to change that “said OGC coach Lucien Favre.
Nice coach Lucien Favre gestures in the margin
The ex-Bundesliga coach continued: “They had a good season and started well again this year. It’s no coincidence that they’re here.” Cologne is still unbeaten in the Bundesliga as one of only three teams, at least this series should be maintained in France. Whereby Pawlak sees the hosts as favorites. “They have a squad value that is three times higher than ours, these are completely different possibilities,” said the Baumgart representative. But Cologne comes with the support of over 10,000 fans plus 1.
