Even after the battle for points was long lost, Steffen Baumgart still had enough to win. Almost an hour was played in Leipzig, the runners-up led 3-0 and was already preparing for the upcoming tasks on the European stage by coach Domenico Tedesco replacing a few stars and substituting other stars. The squad value of Leipzig is several hundred million euros higher than that of Cologne, and although in professional football enough money is often spent for little performance, little speaks against the assertion that a squad like that of the runner-up is a team that is halfway expected course of the game against 1. FC Köln in the 2021/22 season can practically not get into difficulties.
Cologne passes the exam
Baumgart knows that, which is why the coach didn’t break down at the prospect of a defeat in Saxony. On the contrary, he seemed to like the test his people had to undergo: the team’s confidence in themselves, the plan and their coach was put to the test. And when young Tim Lemperle scored to make it 3-1 in injury time, that test was passed. And Baumgart satisfied, in spite of everything. 1. FC Köln deservedly lost to a better team. But he saved face – and never gave up. For this, 1. FC Köln should be under Steffen Baumgart, says Baumgart.
Dealing with the hopelessness against a stronger opponent is a challenge. No striker would think of retiring because there is Robert Lewandowski. Most athletes live quite well with the fact that there is always someone who is better. However, at the limits of high-performance sport, the gaps narrow, and in a team game like football there is always the possibility that the worse team will win. Which in turn is part of the fascination of football: FC Bayern doesn’t win every game, and RB Leipzig certainly not. Now, cynics might counter that professional football isn’t about who tries the hardest or who takes defeat best. And in fact, it’s all about points in the first place.
Place of learning Leipzig
But on Friday evening, the Cologne team proved to themselves and the league that they are never prepared to despair of themselves, their opponents or the score. Steffen Baumgart exemplifies this, he also spoke in Leipzig of the path his team had to take in the first year after surviving relegation. The coach, like his players, has to learn from every defeat. Leipzig was a good place for that on Friday night.
In a week at home against Frankfurt, Baumgart’s team can prove again that they don’t just play to learn. But to win.
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