News blog about 1. FC Cologne
The next injured: FC is running out of defenders!
Updated 11/29/2025 – 9:08 p.mReading time: 39 minutes
1. FC Köln is playing first class again this season. In the news ticker on t-online you will find all the important reports about the “billy goats”.
Saturday, November 29, 2025
The 1. FC Cologne has to accept the next personnel setback. Dominique Heintz had to be substituted injured in the away game at Werder Bremen on Saturday. The central defender suffered a muscle injury in his left thigh in the opening quarter of an hour without any opposition.
An MRI scan on Sunday will show how long Heintz will be out. After Luca Kilian, Timo Hübers and Joel Schmied, the fourth central defender is at risk of being missing for a longer period of time. And that after Rav van den Berg had just celebrated his comeback after a three-month injury break.
Friday, November 28, 2025
Rav van den Berg would actually be on Bundesliga Saturday when the 1st. FC Cologne competes at SV Werder Bremen, not a candidate for the Billy Goats’ starting eleven. Lukas Kwasniok confirmed this on Friday. But the FC coach may have to act against his own convictions. “I have to admit that this consideration would not have been present in the case of a fit Joel Schmied.”
However, Schmied is out with a muscle injury, which is why the Billy Goats are missing three central defenders. Van den Berg could be back in the starting line-up two and a half months after his shoulder surgery. “I have a responsibility to the players,” Kwasniok said. If the other players were fit, “I wouldn’t have taken the risk.”
So the 44-year-old has to consider whether he should immediately throw last summer’s top transfer back into the deep end after his recovery. “That is the only open question for the starting eleven,” explained Kwasniok on Friday, who will also have to do without Ragnar Ache in Bremen. The striker is out with a mild concussion.
Thursday, November 27, 2025
1. FC Köln will have to do without Ragnar Ache at SV Werder Bremen. The center forward was diagnosed with a mild concussion. The 27-year-old received an elbow to the head in a duel on Wednesday and then crashed into the fence.
The striker then missed training on Thursday. As FC announced, Ache will have to take a break due to a concussion. So he will miss Werder Bremen on Saturday. The 27-year-old was last in the starting line-up against Eintracht Frankfurt and recorded two goals and two assists in the last four competitive games.