After a season of dramatic highs and lows, 1. FC Köln head into their final match at the Allianz Arena against FC Bayern with a sense of relief and freedom—they've already secured their Bundesliga survival. The journey to this point has been anything but smooth for the Billy Goats.
The turning point came in late March, following a thrilling 3-3 draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach. That result prompted the club to part ways with head coach Lukas Kwasniok, promoting his assistant René Wagner to an interim role. The change paid off almost immediately. In their last six matches under Wagner, Köln collected six vital points, including a crucial 3-1 win over Werder Bremen in a tense relegation dogfight that gave the team some breathing room.
Further draws against FC St. Pauli (1-1) and 1. FC Union Berlin (2-2) kept the Rhineland club afloat. Their survival was officially sealed before their own 3-1 loss to 1. FC Heidenheim on the final weekend—thanks to Bayern's 1-0 victory over Wolfsburg the day before. This spared Köln a nerve-wracking finale and allowed them to approach the season's last match with a lighter heart.
It's a far cry from the start of the season, when Köln carried the momentum of their promotion into the new campaign. Playing with courage and attacking intent, they climbed to an impressive eighth place after 13 matchdays. But a brutal slump in February and March—where they failed to win a single game—sent them tumbling down the table and forced the coaching change.
Under Wagner, the Billy Goats have found stability. Tactically, he favors a 4-2-2-2 formation, with Marvin Schwäbe in goal and a backline anchored by Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Cenk Özkacar. Sebastian Sebulonsen and Kristoffer Lund patrol the flanks, while the midfield provides the engine room. Since taking over, Wagner's side has suffered just one defeat—a 2-1 loss in the local derby against Bayer Leverkusen—before the Heidenheim match.
Now, with their top-flight status secure, Köln can play with freedom and pride at the Allianz Arena. It's a fitting end to an emotional season, and a chance for the Billy Goats to show just how far they've come.