Köln sack Kwasniok as relegation pressure mounts | OneFootball

According to BuLi News, 1. FC Köln have dismissed head coach Lukas Kwasniok after a 3-3 draw with rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach, leaving them only two points above the relegation play-off.

Saturday’s chaotic Rhein derby proved the final straw, with attacking endeavour undermined by familiar defensive lapses. The club confirmed Kwasniok’s exit shortly after full time.

Assistant coach René Wagner has been appointed interim head coach, an internal move aimed at providing short-term continuity during a critical stage of the season.

Attention has turned to 72-year-old Friedhelm Funkel, long regarded as a firefighter-style coach and a trusted figure at Köln. He guided the club to promotion in the 2024-25 2. Bundesliga with crucial late wins, and a comeback would be his third post-retirement rescue.

The sporting director stopped short of confirming a permanent appointment after the match, keeping options open ahead of a pivotal week. With rivals FC St. Pauli still to play, Köln’s position remains under threat, and whether Wagner steadies the side or Funkel is summoned again, survival is the immediate focus.

Source: BuLi News