Cologne –
In the decisive game against Schalke 04, a home win is needed. We asked fans:
Does this work? And how did it come to this? Where do you suffer with?
Descent? “I get scared and afraid”
“The week was characterized by absolute tension. For FC, it’s all about survival. But I think we have very good chances because the rivals Bielefeld and Bremen won’t win their games either. With a descent I would be afraid and afraid. The mountain of debt is a mortgage. And which players stay? The defeat against Mainz was symptomatic for the whole season – managed and yet somehow lost.
Christoph Doll lights a candle for FC.
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Coach Markus Gisdol achieved a lot at the beginning, but in the end everything seemed haphazard. Funny anecdote: It went so far that a friend dreamed that Jürgen Domian would be the new coach. I preferred to switch to Funkel, hopefully it wasn’t too late. I’ll never get used to the ghost games, the stadium experience with friends, a freshly tapped Kölsch and the sensational atmosphere is missing a lot, but the missing backdrop is no excuse for the players. The quality for relegation was there. “
Christoph Doll (40), fan from the Agnesviertel
“I had a strange dream”
“1. FC Cologne is part of the lived culture of this city. And I wholeheartedly wish the club that they stay in the league. But I had a strange dream before the season started. I am not allowed to say that: But I dreamed that Schalke and Cologne would be relegated. Before the season! Nobody expected Schalke to be relegated. That really gives me pause, especially since I’ve already dreamed of two world championship titles.
In fact, it’s going to be a very, very difficult game for FC. They have all the stress in their bones, it feels incredibly heavy for a player. Schalke, on the other hand, can play freely, where the knot burst last Saturday, too late, but liberating. I think you will see in the first 15 minutes whether it can work: the body language, the demeanor of the team. Of course I hope that I just had a bad dream. “
Shary Reeves (52), ex-soccer player and presenter
“I believe in the team”
“The team is not a bad one. She doesn’t have a real striker, the problem runs through the whole season, Jonas Hector has been absent for far too long, Florian Kainz has not been there for a long time. We already had the epidemic – just like last season. I would love to change the god of football, he has not been kind to us for a long time.
Nevertheless, I am convinced of the team, I believe in them. A goal like the 2: 1 against Leipzig doesn’t shoot a relegated team, I really watch a lot of football and I know: There are some teams in the league that have less class, definitely. I can identify with the players who never let themselves down. But none of that is of any use: Now there is only one game left – we have to win that. I assume we will beat Schalke. I don’t know why they can suddenly defeat Frankfurt, but normally that should be feasible. However, I have a nightmare: Mark Uth shoots us out of the league! Our former player, that really can’t be, then I’ll go crazy. When we were eliminated in the cup against Schalke three years ago, I was on stage at the Palladium. That’s a good omen: This time I’ll be quietly looking at home. “
Wolfgang Niedecken (70), musician and BAP boss
Reception in front of the stadium
“Before the game against Schalke, friends from our fan club will greet the team bus in front of the stadium. We will decorate Junkersdorfer Straße with balloons and hold red-and-white umbrellas, which all add up to the words “Come on FC”. At kick-off, I’ll be sitting at home in front of the TV. For the first time I stood behind the south stand at the game against Mainz – in the pouring rain. I had bought myself a horn beforehand so that you could hear it in the stadium. Some players even thanked them and waved. FC professional Marius Wolf posted a photo of us on Instagram, which made me very happy.
During the pandemic, the city seemed to be at a standstill, it was important to me to set an example and come to the stadium. In the past few weeks there have been more and more fans. But we keep our distance and even have corona rapid tests with us. The change of coach gave me courage again. Friedhelm Funkel is a real trainer who comes across as very personable. And I am convinced: we will stay in! “
Heike Bellinghausen (49), fan organization “fans1991”
“Just don’t lose your nerve”
“We have to win this time, nothing helps now. But if we can do that, it will continue. Then I’m sure we’ll be at least 16th place, I don’t think our rivals will both win. Coach Friedhelm Funkel has recently revived hope. He’s experienced enough to know how to approach the team, who’s got their nerves under control on Saturday. Because that’s what it’s going to be about, maybe even above all. We had a similar situation over 50 years ago: on the last day of the 1968/69 season we had to save ourselves by beating 1. FC Nürnberg. Fortunately it worked. Wolfgang Overath scored the redeeming 1-0, in the end we won 3-0. “
Wolfgang Weber (76), FC legend, vice world champion in 1966
“The FC has it in their own hands”
“With my team, I’m doing everything I can to keep FC relegated. In an emergency, we’ll get the nail scissors out. Not only do I have a professional relationship with the club, I was already a fan. A year ago I saw a game in the Euroleague finals in the stadium, the atmosphere without fans is absolutely sad. Due to the pandemic, I was not allowed to watch the FC games in the interior as usual, but in the catacombs. Now it is in the hands of FC against Schalke. “
Christoph Seiler (46), Cologne sports facilities
Minutes: Thorsten Moeck and Jens Meifert
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