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1. FC Köln Dismiss Lukas Kwasniok After Winless Run

Club leaders cited a clear downward trend with too few points.

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - FC Cologne v Bayern Munich - RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany - January 14, 2026 FC Cologne coach Lukas Kwasniok looks on before the match REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen

Overview

  • Cologne announced the coaching change on Sunday, a day after a 3-3 Rheinderby draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach left them fourth bottom and seven league matches without a win.
  • Sporting director Thomas Kessler said the board conducted an in-depth review and decided to change the head coach for the season’s final phase, thanking Kwasniok for his work.
  • Assistant coach René Wagner will take over, with the next match scheduled for April 5 at Eintracht Frankfurt after the international break.
  • Kwasniok joined from second-tier Paderborn in the summer on a contract through 2028, with early promise giving way to declining results in recent weeks.
  • After Saturday’s match, Kwasniok publicly vowed to fight for his position, while midfielder Eric Martel praised training levels but conceded results were lacking.