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Borussia M’gladbach vs. 1. FC Köln
Under normal circumstances, the Rhineland Derby.
While Gladbach have been impressing in the #UCL
under Marco Rose, Cologne are struggling down the bottom of the #Bundesliga. Again.
And the build-up to today’s game has been typically chaotic:
Under normal circumstances, the Rhineland Derby.
While Gladbach have been impressing in the #UCL
under Marco Rose, Cologne are struggling down the bottom of the #Bundesliga. Again.And the build-up to today’s game has been typically chaotic:
On Monday, Cologne announced the appointment of a new director of communications, a certain Fritz Esser.
The appointment sparked massive online protests from Cologne fans, especially from among the active, hardcore support ...
#effzeh
The appointment sparked massive online protests from Cologne fans, especially from among the active, hardcore support ...
#effzeh
It emerged that Herr Esser, an ex-journalist with tabloid BILD, had insulted Cologne supporters in tweets and articles, labelling them “idiots,” and had also praised a speech by a far-right AfD politician in parliament - behaviour considered incompatible with the club’s charter.
As well as several active fan groups and fanzines, prominent Cologne fans and local politicians also criticised the appointment.
A petition for Esser’s removal attracted 6,600 signatures, and club legend Lukas Podolski also tweeted his displeasure. https://twitter.com/podolski10/status/1356863642583650306
A petition for Esser’s removal attracted 6,600 signatures, and club legend Lukas Podolski also tweeted his displeasure. https://twitter.com/podolski10/status/1356863642583650306
On Wed, the club u-turned on Esser’s appointment, admitting that “errors had been made in the selection process.”
Esser said he had been “unfairly attacked as a Nazi and AfD sympathiser” and insisted that he “fundamentally supports democracy” and “rejects all extremist parties.”
Esser said he had been “unfairly attacked as a Nazi and AfD sympathiser” and insisted that he “fundamentally supports democracy” and “rejects all extremist parties.”
That night, Cologne were knocked out of the #DFBPokal by second-division Jahn Regensburg on penalties, despite having led 2-0.
#effzeh https://twitter.com/matt_4d/status/1357094775053299712
#effzeh https://twitter.com/matt_4d/status/1357094775053299712
At training ahead of Saturday’s game against Gladbach, a banner at Cologne’s training ground demanded:
“F*** the cup! Beat Gladbach - stay up!”
#bmgkoe #effzeh
“F*** the cup! Beat Gladbach - stay up!”
#bmgkoe #effzeh
On Friday evening, 50-60 Cologne ultras saw their team off with a long-planned motivational pyro show.
However, a video emerged from within the team bus in which midfielder Dominick Drexler can be heard calling the ultras “idiots.”
@1948Noah
However, a video emerged from within the team bus in which midfielder Dominick Drexler can be heard calling the ultras “idiots.”
@1948Noah
The comments obviously were not well-received, and Lukas Podolski again spoke up, tweeting:
“Unbelievable. Whoever calls their own fans idiots doesn’t deserve to wear that shirt.”
#effzeh https://twitter.com/podolski10/status/1358053735948296192
“Unbelievable. Whoever calls their own fans idiots doesn’t deserve to wear that shirt.”
#effzeh https://twitter.com/podolski10/status/1358053735948296192
While goalkeeper Timo Horn reportedly texted fans to apologise, Drexler said in a statement via the club: “I grew up an FC fan and used to stand on the terraces myself ... I know how insulting my comments were and I apologise unreservedly.”
#effzeh
#effzeh
And what about Gladbach? Sporting director Max Eberl has just returned from a month off - taken because things are going so well. There’s even sympathy for Köln:
“We want more derbies in future. So we want to beat them, but then cross our fingers and hope that they stay up.”
“We want more derbies in future. So we want to beat them, but then cross our fingers and hope that they stay up.”
