FC Köln Team News Page 6 - Soccer

Luca Kilian - Suffers new ACL injury Killian will miss the rest of the season after he was confirmed to have suffered an ACL injury in training on Monday, the club announced.

Impact Killian's incredible ordeal has now lasted nearly a year and a half. At the end of March 2024, he tore his cruciate ligament for the first time in training. While trying to get back on his feet, he suffered another tear in December 2024 while playing with the U21 team in the Regionalliga West. He did not give up and managed to return to the pitch, training with the team for the first time during summer camp, but another serious setback followed as he suffered a new ACL injury on Monday that will sideline him for many more months.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Alessio Castro-Montes - Heading to Koln Castro-Montes has completed a transfer to Koln from Union Saint-Gilloise, according to his new club.

Impact Castro-Montes is heading from Belgium to Germany this transfer window, with the defender signing until 2028. The 28-year-old will reinforce the right side of the field, joining as a potential starter if he can beat out Sebastian Sebulonsen on the right flank. He will bring plenty of experience to the backline as they try to retain their spot in the Bundesliga, appearing in 304 matches while bagging 23 goals and 30 assists in his career.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Said El Mala - Scores off bench El Mala scored one goal to go with one shot (one on goal) in Sunday's 4-1 victory over SC Freiburg.

Impact El Mala replaced Jan Thielmann in the 68th minute and smashed home Koln's fourth goal in the 81st minute, marking his first goal in the Bundesliga. His introduction kept Freiburg pinned back as the hosts continued to threaten in transition. The young forward added energy and verticality on the right in his 22-minute outing, confirming all the potential Koln saw in him when extending his contract for five years during the summer.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Jakub Kaminski - Scores goal in victory Kaminski scored one goal to go with three shots (two on goal), five crosses (two accurate) and three corners in Sunday's 4-1 win against SC Freiburg.

Impact Kaminski scored the opener in Sunday's victory, sneaking in at the back post to convert Marius Bulter's cross. He stretched Freiburg's back line with direct runs and combined well with the frontline, contributing three shots, four chances created and five crosses. The forward stayed on until late, when the hosts rotated after sealing the points. Kaminski has now scored one goal while contributing eight chances created and seven shots in the first two league games for Koln.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Jan Uwe Thielmann - Scores and assists in win Thielmann scored one goal and assisted once from three shots and three chances created in Sunday's 4-1 win versus SC Freiburg.

Impact Thielmann provided the assist for Marius Bulter's 47th-minute header and added Koln's third goal with a crisp finish right before the hour mark. He worked the right flank relentlessly before making way in the 68th minute after contributing to three shots, three chances created, and three crosses during the game. The forward has now scored one goal and provided one assist in the first two league games of the season, confirming the strong pre-season he had.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Marius Bulter - Three goal contributions in victory Bulter scored one goal and assisted twice from two shots and three chances created in Sunday's 4-1 victory against SC Freiburg.

Impact Bulter assisted Jakub Kaminski's opener in the first half and headed in Jan Thielmann's cross to double the lead. The forward then set up Jan Thielmann's strike in the 57th minute to cap a dominant all-action display. Bulter created three chances in the outing and has now scored two goals and provided two assists in the first two league games of the season, showing a direct impact with his new club.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Marvin Schwabe - Concedes once in win Schwabe recorded one save and allowed one goal in Sunday's 4-1 win over SC Freiburg.

Impact Schwabe's clean sheet was broken late by Maximilian Eggestein's header off a corner in the 84th minute. Aside from that set piece, he enjoyed a largely controlled evening behind a backline that kept Freiburg at arm's length as the goalie needed to make only one save in the game. Schwabe has conceded only one goal in the first two league matches while recording one clean sheet, confirming the strong pre-season form of the newly promoted Bundesliga side. The goalie will aim for another shutout against Wolfsburg after the international break.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Timo Hubers - Forced off at halftime Hubers (undisclosed) was forced off at halftime of Sunday's 4-1 victory against Freiburg due to injury, the club posted.

Impact Hubers could play only the first half in Sunday's large victory against the club of the black forest since he was forced off at halftime due to injury. The defender will likely be assessed in the coming days to know the extend of the injury and if he can recover in time for the next fixture of Koln against Wolfsburg on Sept. 13 after the international break. That said, if Hubers has to miss some time, Joel Schmied is expected to replace him in the backline.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Ragnar Ache - Returns to bench Ache (knee) is on the bench for Sunday's match against Freiburg.

Impact Ache was a late call Sunday but has made the team sheet, likely passing a fitness test to play. He was a substitute in their opener and will look to see time again, possibly pushing for a starting role soon.

AUGUST 31, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Ragnar Ache - Could be an option Ache (knee) could be an option for Sunday's clash against Freiburg, coach Lukas Kwasniok said in the press conference.

Impact Ache suffered a bad knock to his knee in Sunday's opener against Mainz but has trained fully this week and could be an option for Sunday's clash against Freiburg. That said, his return will not impact the starting XI since he should hold a bench role moving forward.

AUGUST 29, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Marvin Schwabe - Early clean sheet Schwabe recorded two saves and allowed zero goals in Sunday's 1-0 win against Mainz.

Impact Schwabe opened his return to the top flight with a clean sheet and all three points after helping bring Koln back up from the 2. Bundesliga. The goalkeeper is going to have some tough clashes early in the campaign, but an early clean sheet is a great sign for the goalkeeper. Schwabe is a veteran goalkeeper with some strong upside in a decent defensive team.

AUGUST 25, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Jan Uwe Thielmann - Three shots in win Thielmann registered three shots (zero on goal) and one cross (zero accurate) in Sunday's 1-0 win versus Mainz.

Impact Thielmann is back in the Bundesliga and back in his preferred role as an attacker. The last time he was in the top flight he had been pushed into a role as a makeshift left-back, he's now back in the attack, generally as an attacking midfielder. He hasn't lived up to the promise he showed early in his career, but Thielmann still has some attacking upside, especially with his pace and eye for a final ball.

AUGUST 25, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Luca Waldschmidt - Sets up only goal Waldschmidt assisted once to go with two crosses (one accurate) and one chance created in Sunday's 1-0 win versus Mainz.

Impact Waldschmidt came off the bench Sunday and delivered all three points with a crucial assist to Marius Bulter. Waldschmidt is one of a few attacking midfield options Koln will rotate through, but this early assist could earn him some more trust in the coming matches. Koln will likely need to be efficient to earn many more points in a brutal start to the campaign.

AUGUST 25, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Marius Bulter - Scores only goal Bulter scored one goal to go with one shot (one on goal), one cross (one accurate) and two chances created in Sunday's 1-0 victory versus Mainz.

Impact Bulter was the only player to find the back of the net during Sunday's narrow win over Mainz. He isn't going to get a plethora of chances while leading the line for Koln, but he's shown the ability to be an efficient finisher in the past. If Bulter is at his best he could push for double-digit goals with the newly-promoted side.

AUGUST 25, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Ragnar Ache - Suffers knee injury off bench Ache came off the bench in Sunday's 1-0 win over Mainz and suffered a knock to his knee, forcing him off the pitch late in the game, according to Eurosport.

Impact Ache suffered a knock to his knee late in Sunday's win over Mainz and was unable to stay on the pitch. The newcomer played his first official minutes for his new club but could not show much of his talent as he could not finish the game. The forward will likely be assessed at the beginning of the week to determine if there is nothing major with his knee. That said, Ache will likely compete for a starting role moving forward, and his potential absence could impact the starting XI.

AUGUST 25, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Luca Kilian - Still dealing with problems Killan (knee) is out for Sunday's match against Mainz, according to manager Lukas Kwasniok. "Luca still has some issues with the tendon, stemming from the cruciate ligament surgery...

Impact Killan has trained but is still not ready for his return from ACL surgery, as a tendon issue is currently affecting him. That said, he will miss the opener and now looks ahead to their next match for his return. He could see a decent role when fit, so the defender will hope to see full fitness soon.

AUGUST 22, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Rav Van den Berg - Joins FC Koln van den Berg has signed a contract until 2030 with FC Koln, joining on a permanent move from Middlesbrough, his new club announced. "We had Rav on our list for a long time and are...

Impact van den Berg went through the academy at PEC Zwolle where he made his Eredivisie debut at only 16 years old in 2021. The next season, he featured in 10 games in the top flight before the team was relegated to the second division, where he made 17 more appearances before moving to Middlesbrough in the Championship. In his first campaign in England, he was voted Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season, scoring one goal in 34 appearances. Last season, he made 27 appearances and will now discover the Bundesliga with FC Koln, where he will be a solid option in defense for coach Lukas Kwasniok.

AUGUST 14, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Cenk Ozkacar - Loaned to Koln Ozkacar has been sent on loan to Koln from Valencia, according to his new club.

Impact Ozkacar is departing on yet another loan after spending last season with Valladolid, as he will now head to Germany to join newly promoted Koln. He should immediately fight for a spot in the team, as he does have experience across the top levels of soccer. He started in eight of his 11 appearances last season due to injuries and poor favor, so he will hope for a better campaign with Koln.

AUGUST 9, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Kristoffer Lund - Joins FC Koln on loan Lund has joined FC Koln on loan for the 2025/26 season from Palermo FC with a purchase option, his new club announced. "Kristoffer has the exact profile that we were looking for on...

Impact Lund was born in Denmark but also holds American nationality. He began his career with FC Midtjylland, where he stayed until 2021 and made his senior debut in March 2021. After a short stint with Esbjerg fB, he moved to BK Hacken and quickly became a key player. In 2023, he joined Palermo and made 68 appearances for the Italian side. He represented Denmark at all youth levels up to under-21 before switching to the USA and has earned seven caps so far.

AUGUST 7, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Marius Bulter - Returns in friendly Bulter (calf) featured in Sunday's friendly as expected, confirming his return from injury.

Impact Bulter carried an injury but did train with his new team FC Koln and was deemed fit enough to make his return in Sunday's huge victory in a pre-season friendly, confirming he is back fit to follow the final stretch of the pre-season. This is good news for the club since Bulter is expected to play a role in the upcoming 2025/26 season for their comeback in the Bundesliga.

AUGUST 3, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Jan Uwe Thielmann - Signs contract extension Thielmann has signed a contract extension with FC Koln until 2028, the club announced. "In our eyes, Jan shows a lot of what we would like to see from 1. FC Koln in the future. He...

Impact Thielmann joined the academy of FC Koln in 2017 at the age of 16 and has been a long-time supporter of the club. The midfielder made his senior debut in 2019 against Bayer Leverkusen and has since made 110 appearances in the Bundesliga for the club. Last season, he featured in 30 games in the second division, scoring two goals and providing three assists to help the club get promoted again to the German top flight.

AUGUST 3, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Marius Bulter - Trains Friday Bulter (calf) was able to train Friday and is expected to feature in a friendly on Sunday, according to Marc Merten of Geissblog.

Impact Bulter just transferred to Koln and was carrying an injury, but is already seeing a step towards his recovery, as he joined the team for training. This sets him up to play in Sunday's friendly, that is if no setbacks appear. He is likely to start in the attack for the club this campaign, so his return to the pitch ahead of the season would be positive.

AUGUST 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Marius Bulter - Joins Koln Bulter (thigh) has completed a transfer to Koln from Hoffenheim, according to his former clubk.

Impact Bulter is ending his two-year stay with Hoffenheim, departing for a new club after signing a deal with Koln. He started in 22 of his 25 appearances last season while recording seven goals and two assists, seeing a decent season at the age of 32. He will likely remain in a starting role with his new club, hoping he can help them remain in Bundesliga after their promotion.

JULY 31, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Tom Krauss - Returns in friendly Krauss (undisclosed) featured in the second half of Friday's 3-1 victory against Leicester in a pre-season friendly, confirming his return from injury.

Impact Krauss ended the season with Bochum injured and missed the season finale before heading back to Mainz. That said, he has since recovered from that injury and joined FC Koln on loan for the 2025/26 season, which started on Friday for him as he featured in the second half of the friendly against Leicester, confirming he is back and fully fit. Krauss played in the back three for Koln, which could be a new position for him to work from since he has mainly always played in midfield.

JULY 28, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Eric Martel - Appears in friendly Martel (back) started and appeared in a friendly against Leicester City.

Impact Martel is earning a return to action after battling a back issue this week, with the midfielder finding his way back on the field for a friendly. This is good news for the club as he can now be considered fit for the start of the season, gaining back a regular starter ahead of the campaign.

JULY 25, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

FC KÖLN NEWS

NEWS

SCHEDULE

STANDINGS

ROSTER

VIDEOS

STATS

ODDS