News blog about 1. FC Cologne
Three returnees in training, but two have to slow down
Updated 10/14/2025 – 4:04 p.mReading time: 16 minutes
1. FC Köln is playing first class again this season. In the news ticker on t-online you will find all the important reports about the “billy goats”.
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Marius Bülter, Marvin Schwäbe and Jan Thielmann, who were recently injured, returned to 1. FC Köln team training on Tuesday. Goalkeeper Schwäbe, who recently complained of muscle problems in his thigh, and Bülter, who missed the games against Stuttgart and Hoffenheim due to an irritated Achilles tendon, were initially partially integrated. Schwäbe left the pitch after a good 50 minutes and Bülter did not contest any duels.
Coach Lukas Kwasniok hopes to be able to count on the regulars again on Saturday against FC Augsburg. Jakub Kaminski (Poland) and Isak Johannesson (Iceland) trained individually on Tuesday after returning from the national team. Said El Mala (Germany U21) and Sebastian Sebulonsen (Norway) are still on international duty on Tuesday evening.
Great praise for 1. FC Cologne after the strong start to the Bundesliga: Michael Reschke, once managerial successor to Reiner Calmund at Bayer Leverkusen and current advisor to FC star Eric Martel, spoke positively about the billy goats’ development in the “Dreierkette Köln” podcast. The 68-year-old called sports director Thomas Kessler’s transfers in the summer “extraordinary” and the coaching decision with Lukas Kwasniok “sensational”.
Overall, Kessler has played a decisive role in FC’s success in the league so far. “You can’t actually achieve such a transfer rate,” said Reschke. “Of the twelve transfers, there are eight absolute top transfers: van den Berg, Johannesson, Ache, Sebulonsen, Bülter, Kaminski, Lund and El Mala. That’s an incredible quota! A fantastic job has been done.”
Words that could possibly also be important for Eric Martel. Reschke and the player had emphasized that they wanted to decide about the future in the winter. Martel’s contract expires in 2026. In the summer, the player told the FC that he only wanted to extend his contract if the FC developed strongly in terms of sport. “Eric also realizes what has happened at FC,” said Reschke. “At the moment everything is open as far as the future is concerned.”
Sunday, October 12, 2025
Positive news for Sebastian Sebulonsen: The new signing from 1. FC Köln was called up for the Norwegian senior national team on Sunday. The Billy Goats winger was called up for the first time by the former FC coach and current Norway national coach, Stale Solbakken.
So Sebulonsen could make his international debut on Tuesday. Then Norway meets New Zealand in a friendly. Sebulonsen has played 19 times (one goal) for Norway’s U21s. However, the Billy Goats’ summer signing will not meet Erling Haaland. The Norwegian superstar left the national team early.