News blog about 1. FC Cologne
Dream shattered: FC misses defending their title
Updated May 31, 2026 – 4:16 p.mReading time: 36 minutes
1. FC Köln is fighting to stay in the Bundesliga. In the news blog on t-online you will find all the important news about the Geißbockheim.
Dream shattered: FC misses defending their title
The 1. FC Cologne lost the final of the A-Juniors of the German Championship. After the final triumph against Bayer Leverkusen, the Billy Goats missed defending their title a year later in the duel against TSG Hoffenheim. The FC had to admit defeat against the hosts 0:2 (0:2) in Sinsheim.
Coach Stefan Ruthenbeck’s team fell behind early on (18′) thanks to a direct free kick from Maxim Naumann. In the 37th minute, Finn Sherlock made it 0-2 and thus the final score after a mistake by FC keeper Schmitz.
Particularly bitter: This means that Cologne’s hopes of getting back into the Youth League are gone. The billy goats would have had to become German champions again in order to play in Europe again next season. This year, FC was unfortunately eliminated in the round of 16 against Inter Milan.
FC vice-president states clear goal for the season
1. FC Köln is planning another Bundesliga season. The club wants to gradually move upwards in the coming years. Accordingly, the goal for the second season looks to be promotion again. Vice President Ulf Sobek confirmed this.
When analyzing the season, Sobek made it clear what the club’s goal was for the coming season. “We will be happy if we can keep the class again. We don’t have to make ourselves smaller, but we can’t get too tall either,” said the 54-year-old.
René Wagner and Thomas Kessler also made similar statements at the beginning of the week and defined their season goal early on. For FC, the only thing that can be important in the next few years is to secure the Bundesliga and gradually move away from the lower places in the table during this time. Last season the FC was 14th in the table. become.
1. FC Köln confirms departure of left-back
1. FC Köln is parting ways with Kristoffer Lund. The loan player returns to his home club FC Palermo after relegation with the Billy Goats in the Bundesliga. Vice President Ulf Sobek confirmed this in a media round on Thursday.
“We informed Kristoffer Lund today that he will not be part of the new squad,” explained Sobek. The FC board explained: “As with Cenk Özkacar: Lundi really cannot be accused of not leaving his heart with FC. But in the overall package it was the decision not to take him on in the new season.”
