Copyright: Andreas Dick
Ondrej Duda wrote autographs diligently after his training comeback on Wednesday (July 13, 2022).
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Due to his Nations League vacation and a corona disease, Ondrej Duda has already missed half of the preparation. This is how Steffen Baumgart sees his chances at 1. FC Köln.
by Jürgen Kemper (kem) | Martin Zenge (mze)
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Will Ondrej Duda (27) find his way back to FC?
After his frustration season, including the interim training suspension, the Slovak needs a new start – whether at Geißbockheim or elsewhere. Head coach Steffen Baumgart (50) believes in Duda’s future in Cologne!
The problem: The playmaker has already missed half of the preparation after his extended vacation (national team) and subsequent corona disease. On Wednesday (July 13, 2022) he was back on the pitch for the first time, completed parts of the team training and runs.
Ondrej Duda has to start late
catch up at 1. FC Köln
Baumgart says: “He was with the Nations League for a long time, where he had no recovery. Then he was ill for a week. We’re now going into the third week – it’s clear that he has some catching up to do. But Dudi is someone who can do it.”
What the FC coach, on the other hand, can’t stand is the talk of a change for Duda. Baumgart when asked how he sees his situation: “Different from you, because he has no situation. We can always discuss whether he has to go – he didn’t get this information from us. And he should get that from me first.”
Review: In his first year at FC, Duda (7 million euros transfer fee) was Cologne’s absolute life insurance. Without his seven goals and six assists, the squad would never have made it into the relegation in 2020/21.
But as with ex-club Hertha BSC, a top season was followed by a disappointing season. Only two league goals, and in the Euro finals he lost his regular place completely Mark Uth (30). The summit: After the home win against Bielefeld on the 31st matchday, Duda was removed from professional training for a week for disciplinary reasons (EXPRESS.de reported).
Steffen Baumgart: Ondrej Duda has “quality that we can use”
For Baumgart long since ticked off: “Dudi played a lot of games last season. We’re happy to talk about his status, but I don’t think anyone has played all the time except for Jonas Hector.”
In the summer, however, the Slovak had to cope with further setbacks. Not just the compulsory break due to illness, which put Duda right back behind at FC. In the last Nations League game in Kazakhstan he saw red, so he is initially suspended with the national team.
