1. FC Cologne is once again threatened with a road trip towards the 2nd Bundesliga. A society that contradicts the self-image of those responsible for the club as well as that of the Effzeh fans. A club icon paints a bleak picture.
“It looks dramatic. The gap to 15th place is big. When it comes to the relegation place, it’s only about Mainz and FC,” said long-time Cologne goalkeeper Toni Schumacher to “kicker”.
After the 24th matchday and the 2-0 defeat in the Rhenish duel with their neighbors from Leverkusen, 1. FC Cologne is in 16th place in the Bundesliga table, which would still be enough for relegation. The lead over FSV Mainz 05 in 17th place is only one point. Cologne, on the other hand, is already eight points short of the saving bank.
In the relegation, the Cologne team could meet their ex-coach Steffen Baumgart, who has recently been coaching Hamburger SV. HSV is currently third in the table in the lower house. It would be a spicy duel about promotion and relegation – which Schumacher doesn’t like at all. “Because then there will be even more steam in the boiler than there already is.”
1. FC Köln offensively too weak
The Cologne club icon sees major weaknesses in the club he loves, especially offensively. “How many goals did we score?” asked the 1980 European champion, looking at Cologne’s meager 16 goals. More than half of FC’s goals come from dead balls. We don’t get in front of the goal often. That makes it difficult to win a game. Not to mention the increasing nervous strain every week,” said Schumacher.
The 69-year-old said that the transfer ban imposed on 1. FC Köln would make it difficult for the club next season.
Harald “Toni” Schumacher played for 1. FC Köln from 1972 to 1987, won the DFB Cup with Effzeh in 1977 and 1983, and even the championship and cup double in 1978. From 2012 to 2019 he served as vice president of the association.