1. FC Cologne Excludes Dominik Heintz from Squad for Bayern Match. Ahead of the season’s final game against Bayern, Cologne’s coach made three changes to the lineup. Dominik Heintz was not included in the squad and has already left the club’s base. The team welcomed back returning players.
On Friday, 1. FC Köln traveled to Munich for the final match of the season against Bayern, but without Dominik Heintz. The experienced defender was not included in the squad and had already cleared out his locker at the club’s training ground. This decision was one of three changes made by coach Rene Wagner compared to the previous week.
Unlike Florian Kainz, who was included in the squad for the final game and joined the team for the trip, Heintz remained in Cologne. According to the club, he left the training ground in civilian clothes and with his personal belongings, not waiting for the team bus to depart. The player himself confirmed he would not travel with the team, emphasizing that this was the coaching staff’s decision.
Ahead of the match, Rene Wagner noted that the lineup for the game against Bayern does not reflect the club’s plans for next season. He said discussions about the future squad are still ongoing, and his selection for the match is based solely on current needs. Wagner stressed that he does not have full information about who will remain with the team after the end of the season.
Jamaï Simpson-Pewsey returned to the squad for the match after missing the previous game due to a disciplinary offense, but this week he was on time for training. Also in the lineup was Felipe Chavez, on loan from Bayern since winter but rarely appearing on the pitch. The third change was the return of Eric Martel after suspension. Left out of the squad were not only Heintz, but also the injured Tom Kraus, as well as Denis Huseinbasic, who is considered a possible departure.
The 1. FC Köln lineup for the match against Bayern is as follows: goalkeepers — Matthias Köbbing, Marvin Schwäbe, Ron-Robert Zieler; defenders — Sebastian Sebulonsen, Cenk Özkacar, Jamai Simpson-Pusey, Joel Schmid, Rav van den Berg, Alessio Castro-Montes, Kristoffer Lund; midfielders — Felipe Chavez, Isak Johannesson, Florian Kainz, Eric Martel, Jakub Kaminski, Linton Maina, Jan Tillmann; forwards — Marius Bülter, Said El Mala, Youssoufa Niang, Luca Waldschmidt. On the list of injured and recovering players: Ragnar Ache, Timo Hübers, Luca Kilian, Tom Kraus.
The situation with changes in Köln’s squad is reminiscent of recent reshuffles in other European clubs: for example, Real Madrid is also preparing for a coaching change after a tense season, as reported in the material about a possible return of José Mourinho in a publication by russpain.com.
For reference: Dominik Heinz and Florian Kainz officially said their farewells to the club after the home match against Heidenheim. In the German Bundesliga, such squad rotations often take place at the end of the season when clubs assess their players ahead of the summer transfer window. Decisions regarding the future squad are usually made after the end of the championship, and final lists of departures and stays are formed during the off-season.
