The 1.FC Kaiserslautern no longer has the direct promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga itself, but can at least secure the relegation place with a point win against Viktoria Cologne. Before the conversation before the game can be directed to the promotion issue in the first place, FCK coach Marco Antwerp breaks a lance for his team, who worked from the table cellar after a strong second half of the season in the previous season.

PGL Major Antwerp 2022 | Challenger Stage Pick'em

“We are playing the most successful third division season since 1. FC Kaiserslautern played in this class,” said Antwerp at the beginning of the press conference. After a mixed start of the season, the game against Waldhof Mannheim on match day 8, when you won a point (0-0) after two red cards, the turning point was. The FCK fans always supported his team – even after the bitter defeat against the U 23 of the BVB, after which the direct promotion zone had to be handed over to the competition from Braunschweig. Therefore, the team wants to return something in the last game of the championship round on Sunday.

Return to the old place of work

Not only for Antwerp, who was a coach of the upcoming opponent for a year and a half, the guest appearance will return to an old place of work. Mike Wunderlich played at Viktoria for ten years before joining the Lauterers in summer. Midfield colleague René Klingenburg also came from Cologne in summer. “I think for Mike and Klinge, the game on Sunday is more emotional than for me,” Antwerp is certain.

There is only one victory for the old colleagues for the regulars. On the one hand, to secure the relegation place in front of the lurking Munich lions, on the other hand, on the other hand, in order to be able to have a chance of having a direct promotion at a possible mistake in Eintracht Braunschweig. But Antwerp only pays attention to the performance of his team: “We concentrate entirely on ourselves, regardless of other results or constellations.” With up to 8,000 fans who traveled with them in the back, the team can be sure of the best support.

The remaining program of the 3rd division