Overview

• Tim Lemperle, Köln’s top scorer, was involved in a brawl on May 11, resulting in a broken nose and hospitalization with a blood alcohol level exceeding 2 ‰.
• Coach Friedhelm Funkel stated the club has resolved the issue internally without imposing penalties, prioritizing team cohesion.
• Lemperle has resumed light individual training, but ongoing knee issues leave his availability for the promotion-deciding match uncertain.
• Funkel assured that the incident will have no impact on the team’s focus or performance in Sunday’s match against Kaiserslautern.
• With a draw or win securing direct promotion to the Bundesliga, Köln is concentrating on maintaining morale and achieving their season goal.