Max Kofler: Die Revolution

BACK ON TRACK MAN!!!! What a bloody month of results that is! Some absolutely marvellous results in there and you can be very proud of yourself for guiding your way through a messy December, making some key signings and now well on your way to pursuing a Europa League spot, or lo and behold a CL spot!

Damn what a month! Good work, and loving how Gabriel Barbosa is finding his feet at Koln, ive always been a fan of him, despite his lack of chances at Inter Milan.

Barbosa has, so far, proven to be an inspired signing. Well and truly back in the race for European football. Heck, you could even end up challenging for the title! The cup form is going well too, winning in extra time in a cup game is both good and bad. Good because it builds the character of the team. Bad because of the physical detriments. Hopefully the good will outweigh the bad!

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March began with a disappointing draw against Hertha Berlin at the Olympiastadion Berlin. The hosts equalised in the 52nd minute after Francisco Trincão gave Köln the lead just before half-time. More points were dropped in the following game, as FC Schalke 04 held firm to deny Kofler's men in a 0-0 stalemate.

Desperate for a victory to renew their hopes of continue their hunt for the top six, Köln knew a win against 1. FC Nürnberg was vital. The visitors were seeking to aid their own bid - a bid to remain in the top flight after surviving in their return to the division last campaign.

Neither side were able to fashion many chances, but when Florent Muslija was adjudged to have fouled Gabriel Barbosa in the penalty-area - after clarification from the assistance of VAR - the hosts were given their chance. The 20-year-old winger Francisco Trincão continued his rich vein of form, converting to secure his side the victory and his sixth goal of the season, in the process.

With a trio of Bundesliga games played, attentions turned to the DFB-Pokal. VfL Wolfsburg were put to the sword in a 3-1 victory which saw Köln progress to the semi-finals with minimal fuss. Oliver Sorg sought to lead his side into a comeback with fifty-seven minutes on the clock, but a brace from Denis Drăguș added to his Portuguese teammates earlier strike - setting up a tie against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, with Bayern Munich facing Eintracht Frankfurt in the other semi-final tie.


Bayern Munich led the way at the top of the Bundesliga table going into April, sitting three points ahead of 1. FSV Mainz 05 in second, who have overtaken Bayer Leverkusen - albeit only via goal-difference. The top four is completed by SV Werder Bremen, who hold a five point advantage to the side below them, Hamburger SV.

Joining the aforementioned Hamburg in the top six are 1. FC Köln - despite winning just one of their three games in the league during March. They hold a two point advantage on last season's Bundesliga winners, Borussia Dortmund, who lead the contenders closely behind. Both TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig still hold realistic chances of securing a place in Europe at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, VfL Wolfsburg continued to trail at the bottom, two points adrift of 1. FC Nürnberg who join them in the relegation zone. Vladimir Petkovic's men sit three points back of sixteenth-placed SC Freiburg - who have failed to record a victory in their last five, with their last coming against Wolfsburg in a convincing 3-0 victory at the Schwarzwald-Stadion.

The trio of Hannover 96, FC Schalke 04 and VfB Stuttgart all found themselves with a two point advantage over Freiburg, as they sought to avoid the relegation play-off spot.

The penultimate month of the season would pose many questions for Köln. The opening fixture of the month would be a trip to Hannover 96 - with the hosts winless in five. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim would follow, with a second away-day of the month coming in the Rhein Derby against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Köln would play hosts to Hoffenheim just eleven days after their previous meeting in the month - with a place in the DFB-Pokal final up for grabs. The month would then conclude against RB Leipzig in an all-important fixture to help determine the top six.

Replies

Jack: It was a remarkable month that tested the character of the squad. The win against Dortmund was a huge result which could really aid our own cause come the end of the season. We're taking it a step at a time, for now, when it comes to the push for European football.

Maguire: He's a great player and I'm thrilled to see him performing for us. It was a bit of a gamble bringing him in, albeit only on loan, but its seemingly paid off.

Justice: As stated above, I'm really pleased with Barbosa. I think the title may be out of reach - it would take a miracle - but we're keep going until the end! The cup form has been great and I'm delighted to book a place in the final four. Originally, I used it to rotate a little, but as the competition has progressed, we have taken it more seriously. Now we're always there, it has become a huge opportunity to secure some silverware and a place in Europe, should we miss out via league position.

Some good results in there and an especially great month for Trincao who is certainly enjoying his football at the moment. Quite interesting that with seven games remaining this year how low Dortmund and to some extent, Leipzig are! Mainz are having a great time this season and so are you, a very strange looking Bundesliga indeed!

Coming into the business end of the season and you're in the running for European football and you have a cup semi final to look forward to. You can't have asked for much more than that!

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1. FC Koln booked their place in the DFB-Pokal final after securing a victory against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the semi-finals.

Köln secured a 3-2 victory over Hoffenheim, setting up a clash at the Olympiastadion in Berlin against Bayern Munich. Munich defeated their opponents, Eintracht Frankfurt, with relative ease - coasting to a 3-1 victory at the Allianz Arena to set up a showdown with Max Kofler's side.

In a hugely entertaining affair, Salih Özcan opened the scoring for the hosts after just eight minutes. Cristian Pavón responded after twenty-four minutes, powering home a free-header to equalise past Timo Horn - who was still suffering from an injury he sustained during training prior to the Borussia Mönchengladbach game, which resulted in seventeen-year-old Daniel Adamczyk starting in goal. It was the first time Horn had missed a game since 1st December 2018 - during a 2-2 draw against SpVgg Greuther Fürth.

However, Denis Drăguș restored his side's lead just before the break. He timed his run perfectly, getting on the end of Louis Schaub's ball to slot past the keeper. Just six minutes into the second-half, Köln were awarded a penalty - in which Francisco Trincão duly slammed home from twelve yards, giving the hosts a 3-1 lead.

Firmly under the cosh, Hoffenheim understood they had to throw everything at the game in order to preserve their chances of reaching the DFB-Pokal final - a competition they had never won. Nadiem Amiri provided a lifeline with half an hour to play, but they were unable to score a second to send the game to extra-time, prompting the celebrations to begin in Cologne.

It continued the fantastic work under head-coach Max Kofler. The Austrian won the 2. Bundesliga title last term in his first season in management - taking charge in June 2018. Since guiding Effzeh back to the top-flight, he has ensured they have gone from strength-to-strength, currently sitting seventh in the Bundesliga as they seek to seal a place in the UEFA Europa League next season.

Subsequently, his sides victory in the semi-final has boosted the likelihood of qualifying for the competition. Winning the DFB-Pokal automatically guarantees a place in Europe, however, if the winner is already in a European competition, it allows for the team who finished seventh in the Bundesliga to take their place - sealing a place in the Second Qualifying Round.

With Bayern Munich already in the UEFA Champions League for next season - as they sit on the brink of retaining their crown - should Köln fail to win, the seventh position would open up this opportunity. Currently, they sit five points ahead of defeated semi-finalists Hoffenheim, in seventh, with four games left to play.

The final will take place at the end of the German season, with the domestic league season coming to a conclusion a week prior to the DFB-Pokal final - which commences on Saturday 23rd May 2020.

Replies

Jack: The results could have been better, arguably, but to remain unbeaten and secure three vital points against Nurnburg is decent enough. Our hopes haven't been dashed with the dropped points. Trincao has really kicked on in the second-half of the season, which is fantastic when you consider he's just twenty and has a lot of time to improve still. He seems to be coming up trumps when you need him to most, which is a useful trait to have - especially in situations like these. Dortmund and Leipzig have really struggled, despite one winning the league last season and the other investing a lot of money. Mainz secured UCL football last season, but seem to be ready for more - fair play!

Justice: It's been a fantastic season and now we've booked our place in the final, there's a lot to compete for!

Some good results coming towards the close of the season and a great job to get to the final of the cup. I’m having that 7th spot open it boosts the chances of European football greatly. Hopefully Max can guide them into Europe and generate a good amount of income from that qualification.

YES! Trincao is proving to be somewhat of a club hero, keep him at all costs! A chance of silverware is promising, although you will be playing the Bavarian giants for it! Go give them the Wiener!

This final opens up the chances of European football which you are battling for, but Bayern have already achieved season upon season, so there might be a slight chance that you see them being complacent in this one!

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Hannover 96 held Köln to a 1-1 draw to begin April - a month which had big implications for both sides seasons. Francisco Trincão held his nerve from the spot to equalise after Bobby Wood's initially put the hosts in-front.

A resounding 4-0 victory against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim was the perfect response to a disappointing result. The Portuguese star captured a hat-trick, accompanied by a stoppage-time Louis Schaub goal, to claim a huge three points. The victory also dented Hoffenheim's hopes of finishing within the top seven.

With Timo Horn injured and Sofiane Alakouch suspended, a weakened Effzeh side were unable to prevent a 1-0 loss against their rivals Borussia Mönchengladbach. Matthias Ginter's effort from outside the area proved to the winning goal in the Rhein Derby.

However, Köln defeated Hoffenheim once again at the RheinEnergieStadion to seal their place in the DFB-Pokal final - where they will play Bayern Munich. Before concluding the month with a convincing 3-1 win over RB Leizpig - another challenge for a place in Europe - thanks to a hat-trick from 20-year-old Denis Drăguș.


Bayern Munich are now within touching distance of regaining their Bundesliga crown. A victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach would seal the job, with 1. FSV Mainz 05 eight points behind in second with three games to play.

Bayer Leverkusen are in third - with a three points advantage over Hamburger SV, who had now secured Europa League football next season, at a minimum. SV Werder Bremen sit two points clear of Hamburg, as they seek to earn their way into the UEFA Champions League by claiming a place in the top four.

Borussia Dortmund forced their way back into the top six after a faultless run of victories. In doing so, they merited European football in some capacity next season. 1. FC Köln now held a seven point advantage between themselves and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim - meaning they looked all but certain to take the final spot.

The relegation battle continued to heat up, with 1. FC Nürnberg now bottom of the division. They had twenty-two points to their name, two shy of VfL Wolfsburg - who had climbed out of the relegation zone and into the relegation play-off spot. SC Freiburg replaced them in the bottom two. The trio of Hannover 96, FC Schalke 04 and VfB Stuttgart were all far from safe - with Hertha Berlin just three points away from securing their safety.

Köln would finish the season with a trio of games, before their clash against Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal final on Saturday 23rd May. Trips to Bayer Leverkusen and SV Werder Bremen awaited either side of Effzeh hosting Bayern Munich - just two weeks before the meeting at the Olympiastadion. A victory in either of these three games would guarantee a place in next season's UEFA Europa League - regardless of the DFB-Pokal outcome.

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LFC: It was a great achievement to reach the final of the DFB-Pokal. Max will be hopeful that his side can challenge Bayern's excellence all the way. Koln are on the very cusp of qualifying for next year's UEFA Europa League - in which would be another excellent accomplishment.

Justice: He has been a revelation, especially in the second-half of the campaign. He seems to have adapted to the change in scenery really well. With age on his side, his future is certainly bright. As for the cup, it'll be a difficult challenge to overcome!

Jack: A side of Bayern's calibre ooze quality, which is why they've been so successful. Hopefully Koln can catch them on an off-day, but the likelihood of that is limited. This side are well-drilled, but we'll have to see.

Only the single loss in an otherwise very impressive month once again. You can seemingly outscore almost anyone with those potent attacking options at your disposal. The final Europa league spot looks al but secured now and I am looking forward to seeing European football next year.

One win away from European football. DO IT! Also, Trincao is awesome, he's already a club hero!

Great stuff so far. Safety in the Bundesliga was the main objective, but you've surpassed them by a country mile. 7th and a cup final, let's hope a strong finish to the season. And Trincao is amazing, and at such a cheap fee for him normally.

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The final month of the season had a place in the UEFA Europa League at stake for Köln. A victory would ensure their qualification for the competition - regardless of their result in the DFB-Pokal final against Bayern Munich at the end of the month. However, fixtures against three of the top four were far from ideal games to have in such a situation.

A trip to the BayArena was how Köln began their all-important trio of games - opening with a 1-0 defeat. The hosts proved to be too strong for the visitors, as they went a step closer to sealing their qualification into Europe - via the UEFA Champions League. Dawid Kownacki scored the decisive goal of the game in the sixty-seventh minute for Leverkusen - with the 23-year-old securing his eighth goal of the season after a £12,500,000 move from Sampdoria in the summer.

Next for Köln was Bayern Munich - their opponents at the Olympiastadion in just two weeks time. With Bayern already crowned as champions, there was far less impetuous on the visitors to the RheinEnergieStadion to go all-out to secure a victory against a side who were determined to do so.

This was particularly evident over the ninety-minutes, with Köln having the better of the chances and taking the game to Max Freund's side. Francisco Trincão continued his excellent campaign by giving his side the lead shortly before the break. The goal marked his eleventh league goal of the season - a remarkable record for the 20-year-old who joined in the summer for £2,800,000 from Braga.

Another one of Max Kofler's young guns came up with a piece of magic to double Effzeh's lead. This time, Salih Özcan's well-struck effort beat Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal - all but securing a much-needed and well-deserved victory for the hosts, which would secure their place in Europe next season. Benjamin Pavard restored some parity by decreasing the lead with nine minutes to go, but Köln held on for a 2-1 win which confirmed their qualification into the UEFA Europa League next season.

A fantastic achievement for Effzeh in their first season back in the top flight. They will begin their European campaign in the Second Qualifying Round, as a result.

The Bundesliga curtain-call came for Köln against SV Werder Bremen at the Weserstadion - a place head-coach Max Kofler had fond memories of as a player - celebrating a league and cup double in 2004 with the club. It was an emotional return for the Austrian, who was clearly taken aback by the admiring support from both his own side and his former club - as he took his seat in the dugout.

Denis Drăguș put his side in-front after just two minutes. The Romanian - who joined from Viitorul Constanța in the summer for £4,500,000 - brought his tally for the season to fifteen, with eleven of those scored in the Bundesliga. Another impressive young player who enjoyed a strong season under the guidance of Max Kofler, similarly to his Portuguese counter-part, Francisco Trincão.

However, the game would finish 1-1, as Christian Tue would equalise for the hosts - a result in-which confirmed they would be playing in the UEFA Europa League next season, narrowly missing out on a place in the UEFA Champions League, despite being in the top four contingent for the vast majority of the year.


Bayern Munich secured the league title after a 4-1 victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the start of May. They finished the season with seventy-one points - three points less than last season's total that saw them finish second behind Borussia Dortmund. The league title proved to be an important milestone, as an early departure from the UEFA Champions League in the last sixteen against Atlético Madrid meant it was imperative for Max Freund to deliver domestic success.

Bayer Leverkusen finished behind them in second - five points off-the-pace. They secured Champions League football once again this season, after doing so last term. The previous two campaigns, Leverkusen had failed to achieve this feat - finishing twelfth and fifth, respectively. Managed by Petr Bosz, his side fell to just six defeats all season en route to a more than respectable finish.

Another side who secured Champions League football for a second consecutive season was 1. FSV Mainz 05. After earning a promotion to become head-coach, Sandro Schwarz led his side to a fourteenth-placed finish at the end of the 2017/18 season. Since, he has revolutionised the club into a top four side, achieving a fourth-placed finish last season - which qualified the club for the Champions League for the first-time in their history.

Despite crashing out in the group stages - sharing a group with Real Madrid, Napoli and Ajax - Mainz will have another crack at the competition next season after yet another remarkable campaign. Led expertly by the German head-coach, he will be hoping to hold onto key assets such as French duo Jean-Phiippe Mateta and Allan Saint-Maximin as they hope to register another season like this one next year and make in-roads in Europe.

Completing the top four are last season's champions Borussia Dortmund, who crept into the final Champions League place on Matchday 33 with a 3-1 win against Hannover 96, before confirming their spot with a victory against 1. FC Nürnberg on the final day.

Despite enduring a poor season at points this season, the Dortmund hierarchy stuck with title-winning head-coach Lucien Favre, even in spite of sitting in ninth with eight games to go. His side won seven of their remaining eight games to claw their way up the table and into the top four, finally showing fragments of the class that allowed them to win the Bundesliga title just twelve months ago.

Dortmund finished with a two point advantage over Hamburger SV, who enjoyed a miraculous season after finishing runners-up in 2. Bundesliga last season to 1. FC Köln. They secured European football with a fifth-place finish - a feat they hadn't achieved since the 2009/10 season - under the guidance of 39-year-old Hannes Wolf, who became their head-coach upon their relegation to the second tier.

21-year-old Dutch defender Rick van Drongelen was a stand-out performer in Wolf's side and has attracted the interest of several European clubs, with Manchester United said to be leading the way in looking to sign the defender. His departure would be a huge loss, should he depart - with Wolf assembling a tight mix of youth and experience throughout his side.

Finishing alongside Hamburg were SV Werder Bremen - who finished sixth due to a slightly inferior goal-difference. Failure to win any of their last four games - drawing three - proved to be costly for ex-Bayern Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt, as his side succumbed to the pressure late-on, falling outside the top four and missing out on Champions League football next season.

Bremen moved into the top four during mid-December after a 2-0 home victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach, however the reserve fixture prompted their demise from this position. A 4-0 loss at the Stadion im Borussia-Park allowed both Dortmund and Hamburg to move above them with two games to play. But after a horrendous number of years, Weserstadion will welcome back European nights for the first-time in a decade.

The final side to capture a place in Europe - thanks to the participants in the DFB-Pokal final - was 1. FC Köln. A seventh-placed finish meant that both the sides promoted from the second tier last season recorded top seven finishes, resulting in their participating in the UEFA Europa League next year.

Noted to be a consistent side, drawing fourteen games - the most in the division - the young side composed by head-coach Max Kofler were a breath of fresh air throughout the season. Both Francisco Trincão and Denis Drăguș, at just the age of twenty, demonstrated their excellence in-front of goal, scoring eleven goals apiece. In doing so, this meant the duo finished joint seventh on the goalscorers chart, alongside names such as Julian Brandt, Leon Bailey and Fiete Arp. Whilst Timo Horn recorded the third-most number of clean-sheets in the division, behind Bayern's Manuel Neuer and Leverkusen's Lukáš Hrádecký, only.

With Max Kofler assertive in his approach to his transfer strategy, stating he intends to continue to bring in young talent, Effzeh could prove to be a contender for a place higher up the table next-season, should the right recruitment be made once again.

Finishing outside European contention once again were heavy-spenders RB Leizpig. After failing to deliver a finish within the top seven, the club's directors made the decision to sack Julian Nagelsmann after less than a year's service - after taking the job after leaving TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at the end of last season.

Leipzig spent £75,000,000 over the two windows - bringing in reputable high-profile signings such as Hannes Wolf from sister-side RB Salzburg and Köln's Jorge Meré for a collective fee of just under £40,000,000. The heavy investment failed to work out, as a number of key departures were noted - with Dayot Upamecano leaving to join Premier League side Arsenal for a fee rising to £66,000,000 and other departures including Bruma, Lukas Klostermann and Amadou Haidara.

With yet another failure after last year's disappointment, RB Leizpig will have to be shrewd in who they appoint as Nagelsmann successor. Will they rebound and qualify for European competition next season?

Other sides that missed out on Europa League football were TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Eintracht Frankfurt who finished ninth and tenth, respectively. Whilst Borussia Mönchengladbach and Hertha Berlin achieved comfortable mid-table finishes.

FC Schalke 04 recovered after their initial failures in the Bundesliga. Now under Xabi Alonso, the Spaniard revitalised the squad and won eight of his twenty-one games in charge - losing seven. They finished the season on thirty-eight points, twelve points clear of the bottom two and the relegation play-off spot.

SC Freiburg were the unfortunate side to have to preserve their status in the top-flight via the play-offs. They will face SV Darmstadt 98 as they seek to continue their four year run. They finished four points worse-off than both Hannover 96 and VfB Stuttgart who secured their status in the Bundesliga next season, finishing on thirty points.

Meanwhile, VfL Wolfsburg will be facing life in 2. Bundesliga next season after finishing seventeenth. Scoring the second fewest goals in the division, whilst also possessing one of the poorest defensive records in the division, they were relegated via goal-difference. They will be accompanied by 1. FC Nürnberg, who finished on twenty-five points.

The pair secured just twelve victories between them, conceding one hundred and six goals and scoring just forty-three in a dismal season for the pair. Wolfsburg's twenty-two year affiliation with the top-flight ended with their relegation, just eleven years after they lifted the Bundesliga title at the end of the 2008/09 season. Nürnberg continue their yo-yo life between the top two tiers, after just two years in the division.

There is one fixture left to be played for Köln, with the highly-anticipated DFB-Pokal final to be played at the Olympiastadion against Bayern Munich. After a 2-1 victory earlier in the month, could Köln replicate such a result and pull off the upset - or will Bayern reign victorious once again and celebrate a domestic double at the end of the season?

Replies

All: Thank you all for joining me along the course of the season, firstly. It's been a remarkable season for Max and the players - especially such talent like Francisco Trincao, like has been pointed out. He has really cemented himself as a cult-figure amongst the supporters and myself. Now European football is secured next season, we look forward to it - but the DFB-Pokal is an excellent opportunity to seal a piece of silverware which would close our season off perfectly. It would be the cherry on top! Plus, we would also qualify for the group stages automatically and avoid the qualifiers, in which we currently have to work our way through. I have everything crossed, hopefully we have it within us!