More speculation in Köln as Kessler states “one point is unfortunately not enough” | OneFootball

The 100th Rhine derby delivered on every front, as a thrilling and chaotic encounter between two sides desperate for victory produced four goals inside the opening 20 minutes, eventually ending in a dramatic 3-3 draw.

Amid growing speculation surrounding head coach Lukas Kwasniok’s future, the result appears to have done little to ease uncertainty - judging by the tone of sporting director Thomas Kessler’s post-match comments.

“It was a rollercoaster of emotions,” Kessler told Sky after the intense contest. “When you start such an important game so poorly, it’s great to see the team respond in that way. But we also have to admit that we couldn’t hold on to the 2-1 lead going into halftime. Overall, it was a wild game. Luckily, we found the equaliser through Eric (Martel), but in the end, we have to acknowledge that one point is not enough today.”

Kessler was, however, keen to highlight the resilience of his players. “You have to compliment the team for the way they came back after that setback. But it’s not exactly new - this team has shown repeatedly that it can respond in difficult situations. I don’t think we’ve had a game this season where we were completely outplayed. Still, we’ve reached a point where we simply need to win again.”

That final remark could be interpreted as a subtle warning for Kwasniok, with Kessler appearing to place his faith firmly in the squad. “There’s no one at the club who doubts the quality of this team to stay up. We’re going through a difficult spell right now, and the table reflects that,” the 40-year-old added, referencing Köln’s position in 15th and their seven-game winless run (four defeats, three draws).

As a result, Saturday’s derby point was deemed “unfortunately not enough.”

Kwasniok, therefore, did not receive a clear vote of confidence from the club’s hierarchy. While the plan is to approach the situation in a “calm” manner and “sleep on it,” Kessler made it clear that further discussions are imminent.

“Then we will analyse everything objectively and rationally. Of course, we’re disappointed with just one point today, as our expectations were clearly to take all three. We’ll take our time to reflect.”