For the sixth time in a row, 1. FC Cologne remained winless on Saturday, losing 0-1 to Union Berlin. The promoted team is still riding high on its strong start to the season, but the negative run is weighing on the mood.
Before the season started, Cologne would probably have signed up for eleventh place at the winter break without hesitation. And yet, FC is going into the break with a rather negative feeling. Lukas Kwasniok’s team has failed to win six times in a row, ending the year with a bitter 0-1 defeat to Union Berlin.
“We are disappointed, no question,” admitted sporting director Thomas Kessler after the seventh defeat of the season. “We wanted to keep the three points at home so we could enjoy Christmas.” But Andras Schäfer had other ideas in injury time against ten Cologne players and ensured a “bitter” outcome from the FC’s point of view.
Kessler announces analysis
“I think we need a few days’ break now,” said Kessler, looking ahead to the holidays – during which he does not intend to remain idle, however. “We can still continue to work behind the scenes to push certain issues forward and analyze the year.”
A positive end to the year would undoubtedly have simplified this analysis. “But we will evaluate what we did well and what we didn’t do so well in the games in a very sober and rational manner. Then we will work on the issues and fight for three points again in Heidenheim.”
Test match against FC Lugano
The Cologne team will not be training at their home ground, Geißbockheim, but in La Nucia near Benidorm/Alicante in Spain. The week-long training camp will take place there from January 2 to 9, with a test match against FC Lugano scheduled for Monday, January 5 (3:30 p.m.). The Swiss team is currently in third place in the Super League after 19 match days. The team will travel directly from Spain to Heidenheim. There is a lot at stake for the second-to-last team, as a win would extend their lead over the direct relegation spots to eight points. If Cologne loses, however, Heidenheim will move within two points of the promoted team.