Of all teams, HSV? Almost-coach Kwasniok faces the sack! | OneFootball

When HSV faces 1. FC Köln on Saturday (6:30 PM, Sky), a lot is at stake for their coach Lukas Kwasniok.

According to Bild information, a defeat against the Rothosen could even mean the end for the 44-year-old. Because: The duel between the two million cities plays a crucial role in the relegation battle. After 25 match days, HSV is in tenth place with 29 points, while Köln is only in 14th place with 24 points. If Hamburg wins, they could distance the Billy Goats by a full eight points and take another big step towards staying in the league.

At the same time, the crisis for Köln would dramatically escalate. Since the clear 4-1 victory in the first leg, little has gone right for FC. In the following 16 matches, the Rhinelanders managed just two wins. During this phase, Kwasniok also came under increasing pressure. Besides the lack of results, many fans are also concerned about some questionable personnel decisions and his public demeanor, which repeatedly spark discussions.

And even the sporting management seems to be slowly but surely losing patience: Before the upcoming international break, the coach is under pressure to win against HSV and in the subsequent derby against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Photo; Getty Images

HSV wanted Kwasniok as Baumgart's successor

The tension of the match is further intensified by another aspect. At the end of 2024, Kwasniok was considered a hot candidate at HSV after the North Germans parted ways with Steffen Baumgart. At that time, he was coaching SC Paderborn and was eager to move to Volkspark. However, Paderborn refused to release him – much to Kwasniok's annoyance, who lashed out in some verbal tirades at press conferences.

Nur die Raute – All news about HSV

In the meantime, the native Pole looks back on this episode calmly. "I am very happy that SC Paderborn stood firm back then. Because I believe that FC is the best for me at the moment," he said in November to Sport Bild. Half a year after the HSV flirt, his wish for Bundesliga football was fulfilled anyway: Köln signed him for a fee of around one million euros.

The situation could hardly be more ironic: The very HSV that once desperately wanted him could now cost Kwasniok his job.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.