conference league
Baumgart’s premonition of yellow-red: the fuse is short today
In front of the traveling fans, the 1. FC Köln players celebrate the 2-0 win at Fehérvár FC. photo
© Marton Monus/dpa
The 3-0 win in the second leg of the playoffs brought Cologne into the group stage of the Conference League despite the previous 2-1 defeat. Steffen Baumgart celebrated exuberantly – and saw yellow-red beforehand.
Steffen Baumgart had a premonition. “Before the game he said his fuse was short today and asked if anyone could make it longer,” revealed managing director Christian Keller after 1. FC Köln’s 3-0 win in the second leg of the Conference League playoff at Fehérvár FC laughing: “And it even lasted pretty much until the end.”
But in the 90th minute, Baumgart became a volcano: He tore his flat cap off his head, ran onto the field gesticulating wildly and picked up yellow and then yellow-red one after the other. And after the final whistle he celebrated wriggling, dancing and cheering in front of the curve. “I’ve never seen him like that,” said Florian Kainz, who captained FC in Hungary, with a smile. And Marvin Schwäbe also found his coach’s passion remarkable. “Especially when you see that he then runs up and down the stands because he can’t calm down. That’s awesome,” said the goalkeeper: “That’s how we know him. That’s how he is. And this passion and this He passes fire on to us.”
That’s why everyone forgives him when he becomes Rumpelstiltskin and overshoots the mark. “He also knows that the yellow-red would not have been needed, especially since it will have a consequence,” said Keller: “But that shows how energized he is. You have to forgive him for that.” As confirmed by UEFA on Friday, Baumgart will be suspended for the first group game. Yellow cards and corresponding bans are deleted after the playoffs, but not dismissals. The trainer could still smile at his freak out with a little distance. “I’m going into the cabin now, I’ll shut down and smile to myself,” he said.
Cologne is looking forward to the “European Cup Festival”
It’s easy to see how electrifying this football enthusiast is taking part in the European Cup and making it into the group stage. As a professional, Baumgart was only able to play half of the European Cup at the age of 18 with Schwerin. Now there will be at least six more European Cup days – even if only five on the bench for him.
He promised his players to turn a blind eye on the return flight. He can’t say that everything is allowed, “but I’m also not one to ban anything in any way,” said Baumgart: “I would be exaggerating if I were to control everything now. I assume that the boys are more likely to drink less and know what’s good for them. But they’re allowed to have one beer, even two. And if someone thinks they need to smoke one, they can smoke one. The boys are grown. They will know what works and what doesn’t helps.” The celebration among the fans after the win was “pure enjoyment”.
But the boisterous block party after the prologue in the playoffs is said to have been just the beginning. Now FC Europa really wants to rock. Many in the environment think of Eintracht Frankfurt’s emotional journey to Europa League victory last year, even if a similar success seems unrealistic. But FC is also a traditional club that longs for Europe. It is only the second season in the past 30 years that Cologne has played internationally.
The celebration in front of the curve after the game was “pure ecstasy”, said central defender Timo Hübers, who made it 1-0 (10th). And Steffen Baumgart, who has long since returned from his grandstand exile, went ahead.