European Cup and master chance for FC

Newsblog for 1. FC Cologne

Huge celebration at FC: European Cup and Master Chance

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 U19 of the 1st FC Köln moved into the final for the German championship. On Sunday, Stefan Ruthenbeck’s team prevailed 5: 3 after penalty shootout at SV Werder Bremen. The youngsters of Bayer Leverkusen are waiting in the final next Sunday (11 a.m.).

With the success in the dramatic semi -finals, the “billy goats” not only secured the chance of the championship title, but also qualified for the UEFA Youth League – the Champions League of the youth teams. The FC U17 could also have moved into the semi -finals on Saturday, but lost 3: 4 after extension at RB Leipzig.

Friedhelm Funkel did without the 2-1 victory in Nuremberg to the willingness to change Dejan Ljubicic. The Austrian was not even in the squad of 1. FC Köln. However, his upcoming farewell to the billy goats should not have played the crucial role here.

“Dejo had been struck in the past few weeks and has always been involved in the team,” said sports director Thomas Kessler after the game in Nuremberg and explained: “Friedhelm had a sense and said: ‘I would like to leave him at home because I think it doesn’t work in this situation if he has to struggle.” Kessler spoke of a “purely sporting assessment” Funkels.

Thanks to the last minute victory at 1st FC Nürnberg (2-1), the 1. FC Köln has the chance to rise on Saturday. Due to the three points at the FCN, the billy goats can only be overtaken by Hamburger SV, SV Elversberg and SC Paderborn. While HSV would surely return to the Bundesliga with a win against SSV Ulm on Saturday evening, FC still has to look at the other competitors.

If neither Elversberg (Saturday at 1 p.m. against Braunschweig) nor Padersborn (Saturday at 1 p.m. against Magdeburg) won, FC would not have to take the Bundesliga return. It would be the seventh climb in FC history and the seventh rise for Friedhelm Funkel as a trainer.

The 1. FC Köln has lost the fight for another top talent: As the “kicker” reports, Justin von der Hitz will not extend his expiring contract. The outdoor car player is one of the absolute top performers in the U19 team of the “Boils”, which is currently in the semi-finals for the German championship.

According to information from the “Geissblog”, from the Hitz, of all people, of all places to the next opponent of FC professionals, the 1. FC Nürnberg. In Cologne, the U17 world champion of 2023 apparently did not feel sufficiently valued, among other things, the head coach Gerhard Struber, who had now been released, had critically commented on his perspective.

Eric Martel changed the consultant. The most valuable player of the 1. FC Köln (estimated market value at six million euros) is now being looked after by long-time Bundesliga manager Michael Reschke. “I can confirm that I take care of Eric’s concerns with his father Gerhard,” said the former official of Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich to the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger”.

In this course, Reschke also confirmed that Martel will have an exit clause again in the coming summer if FC would fail to promote FC. “The clause is available, we do not publicly communicate further contract content.” The Cologne -based contract would be happy to extend Martels by 2026 and would be willing to significantly increase his salary. Should the midfielder not want to extend, the FC would also have to sell it in the event of a promotion in order to be able to generate a transfer.