Podolski farewell game: Man stabs Polish fan in Cologne

A Polish football fan was critically injured after being stabbed during a clash between two groups near Cologne Cathedral. A person suspected of being involved in the crime was arrested, the police and public prosecutor’s office said. The 17-year-old had blood on his clothes. The perpetrator is being searched for.

The 32-year-old who was stabbed was one of a group of Polish football fans who were on their way to the stadium for 1. FC Köln’s farewell game for Lukas Podolski.

According to initial findings, the Poles clashed with another group of young men in the pedestrian zone for reasons that are still unclear. From this group, an as yet unknown perpetrator stabbed the 32-year-old in the stomach with a sharp object, according to information from WDR, a knife. He was taken to a hospital and underwent emergency surgery.

Bottles and stones thrown at police and tourists

An hour after this attack, another argument broke out in front of the cathedral, initially involving around eight Polish football supporters and six other people, the police said. When riot police intervened, the argument turned into a tumult. According to reports, police officers and filming tourists were pelted with stones and bottles from a group of several hundred football supporters.

According to police, nine officers were injured – two of them so seriously that they could no longer continue their duties. “By using batons and gas, the emergency services managed to end the attacks,” the police statement continued. Investigators are currently evaluating extensive video footage to identify the suspects who used the attacks to hide in the crowd. They also accept witness information. The police banned the planned fan march to the stadium.

2014 world champion in the Podolski team

The riots in the city did not match the good atmosphere in the stadium, which was sold out with 50,000 spectators. Numerous 2014 world champions, former teammates from Podolski’s time in Cologne, current FC professionals and teammates from his current club Gornik Zabrze competed in the game. The star of the evening led a specially assembled team with Manuel Neuer, Per Mertesacker, Benedikt Höwedes, Roman Weidenfeller, Ron-Robert Zieler, Matthias Ginter and Erik Durm. The opponents featured FC legends such as Matthias Scherz, Lukas Sinkiewicz, Marcel Risse, Simon Terodde and Patrick Helmes.

The most prominent face on the sidelines was Jogi Löw. “Poldi was already one of the best strikers we had in Germany. And one of the most popular of all time,” enthused the former national coach on the TV channel ProSieben.

In keeping with the attacker’s long-standing shirt number, the so-called thank you game was held under the motto “Our 10 is returning home”. In the 4th minute, Podolski confirmed his reputation as a powerful left-footed player and hit the goal with a big bang. In addition to the game, there was an extensive supporting program in which top Cologne acts such as Brings provided musical entertainment.

Podolski played a total of 181 games for Cologne from 2003 to 2006 and from 2009 to 2012 and scored 86 goals. He also played for FC Bayern, Arsenal FC and Galatasaray Istanbul, among others. According to his own statement, Podolski is thinking about returning to FC Cologne. “We are in good and constructive discussions about how I could contribute to FC after my active career,” he was quoted as saying on the FC homepage the day before the game .