Trouble at 1. FC Köln: Linton Maina and two other players celebrated carnival despite the ban on women. That confirmed Captain Timo Hübers.
The announcement of those responsible at the 1st FC Köln it was actually clear: The players of the billy goats should only be allowed to celebrate at the carnival session and on Rose Monday. There was also a ban on celebration for the fifth season. The problem: Several players didn’t stick to it.
Captain Timo Hübers confirmed a report by the “Sportbild” on Wednesday that Linton Maina and two other players had celebrated on Weiberfastnacht. And the two days before the away game at Karlsruher SC, which lost the billy goats and, to make it, seriously injured Maina on the ankle.
Now Maina’s injury is not in direct connection with the misconduct on carnival. And even if the other two players were blocked or injured, the trio should not have started. This had been made clear by sports director Christian Keller and license player Thomas Kessler and pronounced a ban on celebration.
Because the three players violated it, they had to apologize to the team and pay a fine. This was confirmed by Timo Hüber’s after the non -public training on Wednesday. “We talk openly and honestly about it,” said the captain. “The players have apologized and then this is a topic of the past. It does not belong that way, but should not throw our focus off the track either. It’s about not happening again. I am very confident.”
Now carnival is over, and so it should not be difficult to adhere to further bans in the coming months. Nevertheless, the message fell into a phase because the FC has to survive numerous diseases that had accumulated immediately after carnival. Hübers did not want to judge that, but also made it clear that a player of 1. FC Köln had a different responsibility. “In the interests of professionalism, the aim is not to get involved or not to celebrate.”
It is open whether there will be further consequences or whether the case is concluded with the apology and the fine. Sports boss Keller had announced last summer: “I don’t let anything go through. Means: if something goes a bit in the wrong direction or we are a bit satisfied or we are a bit satisfied or a bit off the plan.” The team will have to show against Darmstadt on Saturday whether they will follow these words.