1. FC Cologne
New injury shock: paramedics carry FC star off the pitch
Updated on December 7, 2024 – 7:09 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
He was actually working on his comeback for 1. FC Köln, but now he will be out again for months: For Luca Kilian, the 2024/25 season is over again.
1. FC Köln suffered several personnel setbacks on Saturday. One was at short notice because Luca Waldschmidt was out for the away game at SSV Jahn Regensburg due to back problems. The striker was unable to travel with the Billy Goats to the away game on Saturday.
In addition to Waldschmidt, FC is also missing central defender Julian Pauli on Sunday. The youngster suffered a head injury in the DFB Cup game against Hertha BSC on Wednesday and has to take a break. FC coach Gerhard Struber decided to nominate Steffen Tigges, who had been discarded for a long time, for Waldschmidt and right-back Rasmus Carstensen for Pauli.
Luca Kilian would also have been available as an alternative for Pauli. The central defender had worked his way back over the past few weeks after tearing a cruciate ligament in his right knee. However, Struber decided to send Kilian to the Cologne U21 in order to give the 25-year-old further match practice in the Regionalliga West there. A decision with far-reaching consequences.
Because on Saturday afternoon Kilian was seriously injured. The defender collided with his teammate Stephan Salger in his own half in the game against Eintracht Hohkeppel. But it was so unfortunate that Kilian remained lying down and it was immediately clear that things weren’t looking good for the FC professional.
The game was then interrupted. In addition to the billy goats’ team doctors, paramedics also came to the field with a transport couch. And finally Kilian, his right knee heavily bandaged, had to be carried off the field by the emergency services. With his hands in front of his pain-contorted face, Kilian was taken to the MediaPark Clinic for further examinations.
The bitter diagnosis followed on Saturday evening: “The 25-year-old has suffered another cruciate ligament injury and will be operated on by team doctor Dr. Peter Schäferhoff at the beginning of next week,” the FC announced. This makes it clear: Kilian will not be returning to the pitch this season; the central defender’s playing time ended in December.
A shock for the player as well as for the club: “We are extremely sorry for Luca,” said sports director Christian Keller. “He has worked very hard for his comeback. It’s not easy to cope with such a setback. But Luca has our full support – the entire FC family will be there for him and support him as best as possible on his way back.”
The central defender tore his cruciate ligament, also in his right knee, in March. He had just celebrated his comeback for the FC professionals in a test match after eight months. At the winter training camp in Spain at the beginning of January, the robust defender wanted to resume the fight for the regular places. Also because his contract expires in 2025 and he wanted to recommend an extension. Now he has to get healthy again – and that will take at least six months.