Conference League: Playoffs: What speaks for Cologne, what against the club?

1. FC Köln have to make up for the 2-1 home defeat from the first leg in the playoff second leg of the Conference League (7 p.m. / RTL +) at Fehérvár FC in Hungary.

Otherwise, the only second European Cup season in the past 30 years for the Bundesliga soccer club ended before the group stage. What speaks for FC, what speaks against it?

Per Cologne

The conviction: In the first leg, Cologne played 70 minutes outnumbered. The 20 before that have clearly shown that FC is nominally the better team. That he had 80 percent possession in the second half while outnumbered reinforces this belief, which is widespread among the staff and the squad.

Steffen Tigges, Sargis Adamyan and Sebastian Andersson: After the departure of top scorer Anthony Modeste, FC did not get a direct successor because he signed two forwards in the summer with foresight. But ex-Dortmunder Tigges and former Hoffenheimer Adamyan have not been fit so far. And Andersson, who is still willing to leave the club, recently got involved in training and is in the squad for the first time this season. Coach Steffen Baumgart has offensive options to react in the game.

The relegation: Even if many were not there at the time: A lot of people around 1. FC Köln are currently talking about the relegation in 2021. Because the situation is comparable. At that time, Cologne saved themselves in the play-offs against relegation, seemed to be the clear favorite at home before the first leg – but then lost 0-1 to Holstein Kiel and had their backs to the wall. FC won the second leg in the north 5-1 and stayed in the league.

Against Cologne

Too much conviction: Reducing the defeat in the first leg to being sent off would be too easy. At least on the outside, many did. It would be a mistake to take it for granted that Cologne will turn the result eleven against eleven. The Hungarians defend well and are always dangerous, as the two spotless goals proved.

The pressure: “We don’t have to do anything!” Managing director Christian Keller made a conscious effort to reduce the pressure before the second leg. Because he realized: In the first leg it was too much of it. But the defeat didn’t make him go away. A failure would be a disappointment, would deprive the team and the club of the rewards of the previous season, and important income was lost. Getting ahead is still very important.

Michael Boris: The Hungarians are coached by a German. Who not only analyzed FC well, but is also highly motivated himself to put himself in the shop window in his home country. Boris had previously analyzed the scene before the red card against Jeff Chabot and conveyed it to his team.