Newsblog for 1. FC Cologne
Just in time for the team photo: Shooting star at FC for the first time
Updated on July 16, 2025 – 5:40 p.m.Reading time: 101 min.
The 1. FC Köln is the football club from the cathedral city. In the New sticker on T-Online you will find all the important messages about the “billy goats”.
The 1. FC Köln took up the annual team photo on Wednesday. Surprisingly: Said el Mala. The shooting star of the U19 European Championship and newcomer to the billy goats stopped by his new club for the first time since moving to FC. Together with his brother Malek, he posed with the team for the photo together.
The El Malas will leave the training camp in Bad Waltersdorf (Austria) with their teammates on Saturday. Then Eric Martel and Jan Thielmann will also be there. The duo was the only one in the team photo.
The 1. FC Köln may have found its new right -back. According to the Danish sports magazine “Tipsbladet”, Bundesliga promoted Sebastian Sebulonen from the Danish top team Bröndby IF wants to hire. The 25-year-old could challenge Jusuf Gazibegovic on the right.
Sebulonsen is still under contract with Bröndby until June 30, 2026. The Cologneers are said to have offered two million euros for the Norwegian – however, the Danes apparently demand three million euros transfer plus bonuses. Negotiations between the clubs are ongoing. Sebulonsen with Bröndby is currently located in the training camp in Kitzbühel, where a 1-0 victory against Hertha BSC was achieved at the weekend.
Damion Downs said goodbye to the Geißbockheim on Monday. The former striker of the 1st FC Köln visited his teammates one last time, cleared his locker and will in future be hunting for FC Southampton. The 21-year-old signed the English second division club until 2029.
While Downs was wearing his having in red bags from the Geißbockheim, another FC star trained with the team for the first time this year. After his two cruciate ligament tears in 2024, Luca Kilian was able to do the first exercises again with the team of coach Lukas Kwasniok.
The next prominent departure could face the 1. FC Köln. After changing Max Finkgräfe and Damion Downs, Denis Huseinbasic could also leave the club this summer. According to a report by Sky Sport the Portuguese first division club SC Braga shows great interest in the midfielder. The two clubs should already take place.
The Bosnian international had only extended his contract with FC last summer – but nothing is known about the exact term. One thing is clear: for the 24-year-old, a transfer fee in the millions would be due. Braga will be represented in the Europa League in the coming season.
Does Timo Hübers remain the captain of the 1st FC Köln? Lukas Kwasniok left this question about the first test game at SV Bergisch Gladbach (7: 1) unanswered. “Everything is open,” said the FC coach and named Hübers, who led FC last season and was also wearing the bandage on Saturday in Bergisch Gladbach, one of the candidates.
“I’m getting a picture of the team now. Of course, boys who have already hit a few battles are out of the question. Further options are likely to be goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe, the popular Linton Maina and Eric Martel, most recently captain of the German U21 national team, popular in the team. With the latter it is still unclear whether he will leave the club this summer.