We write Sunday, February 5th, 2012.
Visiting the Betzenberg of 1. FC Köln. Horst Schömbs welcomed the west curve and a total of 38,043 spectators to the Betzenberg in a frosty -7 degrees. And it's not just the temperatures that are frosty this Sunday, the mood in the mountains is also in the absolute basement. FC Kaiserslautern is in the relegation zone of the 1st Bundesliga and has been waiting for the next three points for over three months. The air on the mountain is also getting thinner for successful coach Marco Kurz. 1. FC Köln comes ninth in the table and features Novakovic, McKenna, Eichner and Mitchell Weiser, among others. At 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Trapp-Bugera-Rodnei-Yahia-Dick-Borysiuk-Tiffert-Jörgensen-Sahan-Wagner-Shechter are supposed to do it today. But the FCK is adapting to the temperatures and nobody will be really warm in the stadium this Sunday. And as if the situation wasn't precarious enough, new signing Borysiuk also received a yellow card after 40 minutes. The second half is then quickly told, FCK still has exactly one chance, which is missed by Olcay Sahan, who would later have an outstanding time at Besiktas, and on the other hand Odise Roshi scores the goal of the day for FC. In keeping with the situation and season, it should remain Roshi's only goal of the season. The end is known, Marco had to leave a few weeks later,… but things didn't get any better after that… on the contrary… – going to the 2nd Bundesliga was the logical consequence and had been foreseeable for weeks! The 1. FCK was quietly but surely relegated to League 3! For years they managed to get worse in the table year after year.
But now back to the present and clearly positive prospects for the upcoming game against 1. FC Köln!
December 22nd, 2024 1:30 p.m. Fritz Walter Stadium, Kaiserslautern
17th matchday: 1. FC Kaiserslautern against 1. FC Cologne
Spectators: 49,327 sold out
At least two things will happen next Sunday, as they did in 2012. The opponents are the billy goats from Cologne and Horst Schömbs will traditionally greet the spectators and Germany's hottest curve. But that will also have been a commonality. Because neither the mood nor the temperature will be frosty on Sunday. The German weather service reports four degrees plus and spectators are looking forward to a nice end to the year. Even the 1:5 in Darmstadt, which admittedly raised one or two questions, will be forgotten after the last few weeks, at the latest when the ball starts rolling again in the Fritz Walter Stadium. With another three, the Red Devil could finish the first half of the season in one of the top five places in the table and with 29 points. It could also be the best first half of the season in the 2nd Bundesliga in 10 years!
Starting situation: After 7 games without defeat and 17 out of 21 points, the Lilies lost 1:5 on Saturday. The final strong defense made things far too easy for the Darmstadt team over the 90 minutes and the result at the end of the day was perfectly fine. However, the team currently seems to be solid enough to be able to cope with the defeat in Darmstadt and draw the right conclusions from the game for Cologne. With another three points against the in-form FC, the team around coach Markus beginning could properly conclude a strong first half of the season. After five unbeaten games at Betzenberg and only one home game defeat, Betzenberg is well on the way to becoming a fortress again and at least I am optimistic that the right lessons were learned from the Darmstadt game. In addition to the long-term injuries Zuck, Spahic and Zimmer, they will also have to do without top scorer Ache and Kenny-Prince Redondo. No further absences are currently known, but Philipp Klement could rejoin the matchday squad.
The opponent: After a weak start to the season, the billy goats have more than recovered in the last few weeks. They are currently unbeaten in 8 competitive games, are in the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup and have only conceded 3 goals in their last 6 league games. Also quite impressive numbers that the FC can show. But at least personally you won't be able to take full advantage of it. Top scorer Tim Lemperle is missing from FC due to injury, as is new discovery Julian Pauli and prodigal son Dome Heintz is also missing due to suspension. Ex-Lautrer Nikola Soldo will also not be there as he has been suspended for months and no longer plays a sporting role in Cologne.
History: The traditional duel against FC has already taken place a total of 100 times. The balance sheet definitely speaks for the Red Devil. 43 wins compared to just 26 defeats and 31 draws. The goal difference of 186:159 also speaks volumes for FCK! FCK last met FC Köln, also at home, on October 31, 2023. Back in the DFB Cup, many will still remember the game, FCK won 3-2! The first encounter was on May 10, 1953, when the FCK won 2-1 in front of 65,000 in the Müngersdorf Stadium with goals from Fritz and Ottmar Walter. The history against FC is also characterized by positive memories. I fondly remember the passion final and June 15, 1991.
Prediction: Since I was right in the past, I will be right this time too! The FCK finished the first half of the season in 4th place and defeated FC from Cologne 2-1! Hanslik and Tomiak score the goals.
Expected lineup: Krahl-Kleinhansl-Toure-Elvedi-Tomiak-Gyamerah-Kaloc-Sirch-Ritter-Yokota-Hanslik
Last but not least, I wish all visiting fans from the cathedral city a safe journey, but the points will stay on the mountain! And of course an atmospheric end to the year.
With that in mind, Forza FCK and let it all out once again!!! 👹👹👹
