1. FC Cologne

1. FC Köln's Benno Schmitz very likely to leave in the summer

By
Moritz Baer
March 12, 2024
18:46
Benno Schmitz (centre). By Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Benno Schmitz (centre). By Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The longest-serving 1. FC Köln player, Benno Schmitz, is very likely going to leave the club when his contract expires in the summer.

Benno Schmitz first joined Köln in 2018, making him a veteran within the squad. Under former coach Steffen Baumgart, he was a staple at right-back for much of his tenure.

In spite of this, under new coach Timo Schultz he has often been benched by summer signing Rasmus Carstensen and has struggled for game time.

The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger has reported that as of mid-March, the player had not received any offers from the club to extend his contract which runs out in June.

According to these reports, the last discussions over a contract occured last year in December and have not continued at all since.

With his time at the Billy Goats looking ever-likely to end this year, it remains to be seen where Benno Schmitz will go next.

Match Result

1. FC Cologne
:
1. FC Cologne
1. FC Cologne
Benno Schmitz. Photo: Vitalii Vitleo / Shutterstock

Longest-Serving Player Gone: Benno Schmitz & Faride Alidou to leave Köln

Benno Schmitz will leave 1. FC Köln this summer after his contract expires, as he rejected multiple contract offers according to reports. Loanee Alidou will follow suit.
1. FC Köln flag.

1. FC Köln closing in on contract extension for under-17 world champion

1. FC Köln's under-19 player and under-17 world cup winner Fayssal Harchaoui is close to agreeing a long-term contract extension with the club (Kölnischer Rundschau).
Timo Schultz. Photo: 1. FC Köln

1. FC Köln Part Ways with Timo Schultz

1. FC Köln are going into the 2024-25 2. Bundesliga season without head coach Timo Schultz and his assistants Kevin McKenna and André Pawlak.
Florian Kainz. Photo: Vitalii Vitleo/ Shutterstock

Florian Kainz on Köln situation: "I need to wait and see what type of squad we have"

1. FC Köln's captain Florian Kainz recently spoke to the German news organisation "Express" and spoke about his future at the club.
Lukas Podolski. By Steindy (talk) 13:44, 27 June 2011 (UTC) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Köln legend Lukas Podolski tears through 1. FC Köln board

In an interview with the Köln local paper (the "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger), Lukas Podolski tore through the board at the cathedral city club due to their failures.
1. FC Köln flag. Photo: Pixabay

1. FC Köln relegated from the Bundesliga

1. FC Köln have been relegated from the Bundesliga following a five year stint in Germany's top flight. The arrival of new manager Timo Schultz did not help survival.