1. FC Köln is celebrating its 75th birthday. The atmosphere couldn’t be any better if it wasn’t for Ellyes Skhiri.
The mood? Could hardly be better. The shape curve? Points steeply upwards. And Ellyes Skhiri? Outstanding, but most likely gone soon. He celebrated happily 1. FC Cologne on Monday his 75th birthday, but the uncertain future of the courted Tunisian also haunted the cathedral city during the anniversary.
“He who belongs to Cologne,” Cologne’s stadium announcer yelled into the microphone after the midfielder scored to make it 3-0 (0-0) against Eintracht Frankfurt. Michael Trippel said what the FC supporters so desperately want: the whereabouts of their most important player.
“He influences the game. He’s always playable. He does a lot of things right,” coach Steffen Baumgart praised his director. But the coach also knows that FC Skhiri will probably not be able to last beyond the summer. The World Cup driver’s contract is about to expire. And Skhiri recently declared that she wanted to try “something new”.
In addition to the Frankfurters, other top clubs from the Bundesliga are said to be interested in Skhiri, and an offer has already come from abroad. The coveted Skhiri could help every top club with his strength in a duel, he also hardly makes any mistakes – and impresses with an incredible mileage.
One-on-one monster with horse lungs
The 27-year-old ran more than 13 km in the game against Eintracht, in which he scored twice. With a total of over 230 kilometers covered, Skhiri is the strongest runner of all Bundesliga professionals. The 27-year-old could confidently appear as Forrest Gump at carnival – if Timo Hübers hadn’t already snatched this idea away from him.
“I think I’m going to go as Forrest Gump,” Hübers said, referring to the club’s traditional carnival session on Tuesday. And the central defender plans to do more for the party than just the costume of the main character from the legendary US tragic comedy. “I’m suspended on Saturday. I can stay half an hour longer,” joked the goal scorer to make it 1-0.
Before that, however, the big birthday party of the FC was coming up. However, Effzeh himself provided the best gift just a few hours before the day of honor. While the Rhinelanders had just missed out on winning against a top team at Bayern Munich (1-1) and RB Leipzig (0-0), Eintracht now had to believe.
“The boys gave the club presents,” enthused Thomas Kessler, head of the licensing department. Immediately after the game, the Baumgart team started the party marathon with wild songs in the locker room. Before the big party, however, there was an official act.
Represented by the top of the club, the club signed the city’s golden book on Monday, followed in the evening by the “cheeky birthday party” in the Lanxess Arena. Four days before Altweiber, live music by the Cologne cult band Höhner should also have philosophized about Ellyes Skhiri.