Köln – succeeds 1. FC Cologne After a convincing start to the 2023 calendar year, still making the leap to Europe? The 3-0 against Eintracht Frankfurt could be the starting signal for an absolute success story.
Does Steffen Baumgart show the development in the table here? © Federico Gambarini/dpa
In all five games of the new year, Billy Goats have not lost once!
And that despite the fact that record champions FC Bayern (1-1), reigning DFB Cup winners RB Leipzig (0-0) and reigning Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt were real heavyweights among the opponents.
The Effzeh have clinched three wins and two draws after a rather chaotic first half of the season. A special highlight of the still fresh year: the spectacular 7:1 against Werder Bremen.
1. FC Köln celebrates the perfect start to carnival: Skhiri with a brace against Eintracht Frankfurt!
Thanks to the recent exclamation mark, will 1. FC Köln snag an international place again this season?
Unlike the competition, the focus is on the team. © Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
The signs are good! Compared to last season – at the end of which FC qualified for the Conference League qualifier – Cologne are currently only three points fewer in the table.
From the mixed first half? Not a trace! This is also thanks to Steffen Baumgart, who was able to foresee the development.
“If we can work and train normally again, the injuries are back and we use the long winter break properly, we will find our way back to our old strength and freshness. And put the intensity we need on the pitch,” said the 51-year-old at the end of 2022 .
Contract at FC Köln expires: Hot lead at Skhiri leads to this league competitor!
How right he is! If you only look at the last five games, FC is even in a Champions League place with nine points and a goal difference of 11:2.
“No one will hear that we are attacking from above. But we want to continue to be successful and set ourselves apart from below,” said Baumgart. FC President Werner Wolf (66), on the other hand, was a little clearer in the “Laughing Cologne Arena”: “Europe – we want to go back there,” said the 66-year-old.
However, before FC can attack at the top, they still have to make up a hefty nine-point deficit in sixth place. However, since the top six in the league are all in the DFB Cup quarter-finals, seventh place should be enough for international business. He currently has it VfL Wolfsburg (27 points) – three points behind … Come On, FC!
