Despite the party slat in the alcoholic state and a facial injury suffered, striker Tim Lemperle could play in the promotion final of the 1st FC Köln.
“Tim trained a bit with the team for the first time today. He still has slight problems on the knee, when we are waiting for the reaction tomorrow and then decide whether he is there or not,” said coach Friedhelm Funkel on Friday afternoon (May 16, 2025), shortly before the game in the 2. football-Bundesliga against 1. FC Kaiserslautern on Sunday (3.30 p.m.).
He already made a phone call on Monday and personally spoke to him on Thursday after his individual training in the cabin. “He knows that he made a mistake and that was not good. He showed a lot of remorse. So the topic is done for me,” said the 71-year-old. It is important to concentrate on the sporty and possible climb.
Funkel: “No moral problem”
The 23 -year -old Lemperle was involved in a physical argument on a party ship on a party ship on the Rhine on the Rhine and contracted facial injuries. “Morally, this is no problem for me to give Tim playing time,” said Funkel.
When asked whether he made this decision in coordination with the association, he said: “I make the sporting decisions.” There is unity within the team. “Tim was very repentant and admitted his mistake. The team accepted it exactly in this way. There was no break.”
It is now important to draw a line and to keep an eye on the common goal. “There were headlines that the ascent was at risk. By no means.
