Cologne fires Lukas Kwasniok as coach amid Bundesliga relegation fears

By Canadian Press on March 22, 2026.

COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Cologne fired Lukas Kwasniok as coach on Sunday as the team’s seven-game winless run left it just outside the relegation zone in the Bundesliga.

Cologne made it clear in a statement that Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Rhine derby was the final straw for Kwasniok and his assistant Frank Kaspari. The club announced that former assistant coach René Wagner was taking over as interim coach for the remaining seven games of the season.

“We simply haven’t picked up enough points – that’s the reality. Against this background, after intensive analysis, we decided to release Lukas,” managing director Thomas Kessler said.

Kwasniok joined promoted Cologne from Paderborn last summer and had a contract until 2028. His team was knocked out of the German Cup by Bayern Munich and has earned 26 points in 27 games in the Bundesliga, where the derby draw left it two points above St. Pauli in the relegation playoff place.

“I will do everything in my power to ensure we remain in the Bundesliga,” Wagner said.

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The Associated Press