Coach Steffen Baumgart will be in first Conference league group game of the 1. FC Cologne sit locked in the stands, but he will probably cheer on his team passionately as usual. “I’ll take care of the team beforehand, then say goodbye – and probably be heard in the stands,” said Baumgart before the game on Thursday OGC Nice (6.45 p.m./RTL+). Baumgart’s regular assistant André Pawlak, who will represent him, also expects to be able to clearly hear the boss breathing down his neck: “He’s loud enough. We’ll hear that.”
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Baumgart is following his yellow-red card in injury time Playoff-Rückspiels beim Fehérvár FC (3:0) lead the team meeting in the hotel at noon and also take the team to the stadium in the bus. Then he hands over to Pawlak. He is banned from contact with his team for 15 minutes following the final whistle. “Of course everything has been agreed in advance,” said Pawlak: “It will be as if Steffen were standing there. We’ve had that before.”
Baumgart was absent in February due to a Covid disease, FC won 1-0 once morest Freiburg with Pawlak. “André has a good record. But please don’t ask me to be away all the time,” Baumgart said with a laugh.
