1. FC Köln: Team for USA trip

1. FC Köln heads to America on Wednesday for a marketing tour. The Billy Goats spend a week in Austin/Texas, playing friendly games and, above all, being on the road as Bundesliga ambassadors. However, Steffen Baumgart has long since lost access to all-stars. So, a core team, bolstered by many talents, flies to America. There are also new names.

1. FC Köln announced the squad for the tour of the USA on Monday evening. As part of the German Football League’s (DFL) internationalization strategy, the Billy Goats travel to Austin from November 16 to November 24, 2022. A test match against VfB Stuttgart will be held on November 19 at the Q2 ground. Prior to that, coach Steffen Baumgart’s team will train at MLS team Austin FC’s training ground.

Due to the tight international schedule, it was clear from the outset that FC would have to do without all of their international reserves on this trip. Ellies Skry to travel to Qatar with Tunisia for 2022 World Cup In addition, Florian Cains (Austria), Andrzej Duda (Slovakia), Matthias Olesen (Luxembourg), Denis Huseinbasic, Erik Martel and Jan Thielmann (DFB U21) and Jonas Urbic (DFB U20) are with their national teams.

There is Diehl and two full backs

With six players still injured (Andersson, Dietz, Lemberle, Limnios, Lubicic, Uth), Steffen Baumgard has eleven healthy field players, in addition to the three healthy goalkeepers Horn, Schwab and Kopping. So the FC coach has decided to fill the team with several talented youngsters: in addition to the repeatedly recommended Georg Strauch and Joshua Swirden, there are also three surprises.

Talented forward Justin Diehl U19 attacker could prove himself again after a long injury layoff and now back in form. In addition, two full-backs Tidiane Touré (right) and Max Finkgräfe (left) were nominated from the U19s, with Finkgräfe playing an attacking position in the middle under Stefan Ruthenbeck. Now the U19 trio have been rewarded with a trip to the USA.

All three injured players will start the trip on Wednesday, although they will not be able to play in the friendly against VfB: Mark Uth, Dejan Lubicic and Tim Lemberle will finish their individual program in the United States. On the other hand, Florian Dietz, Sebastian Anderson and Dimitris Limnios will be in Cologne.

The team for the US tour at a glance

Target: Timo Horn, Marvin Schwab, Matthias Kobing

Security: Benno Schmitz, Titian Toure – Timo Hubers, Jeff Chabot, Luca Kilian, Nicola Soldo – Max Finkgraf, Jonas Hector, Christian Pedersen

Midfield: Lyndon Maina, Kingsley Schindler, Joshua Swirton and George Strauch

Storm: Sarkis Adamyan, Justin Diehl, Stephen Digges

Wounded Soldiers Traveled: Mark Uth, Dejan Lubicic, Tim Lemberle

At the World Cup/with their national teams: Andrzej Duda, Denis Huseinbasic, Florian Keynes, Eric Martel, Matthias Olesen, Ellies Skry, John Thielman, and Jonas Urbic

Wounded soldiers staying in Cologne: Sebastian Anderson, Florian Dietz and Dimitris Limnios