After a furious race to catch up and a very committed performance by 1. FC Köln, the fans gave their team a special farewell to the European Cup.

With traditional Cologne songs and lots of applause, they honored their sad heroes, who had just been eliminated from the Europa Conference League after the 2: 2 (0: 2) against OGC Nice.

"I'm sorry that we can't give the fans more games on the European stage," said offensive man Florian Kainz.

While the players cheered in front of the curve, coach Steffen Baumgart stood petrified in his coaching zone for a few minutes.

The 50-year-old later explained that he wasn't disappointed, "because I'm delighted with the performance and the mentality of my team."

Baumgart pointed out the following as a characteristic of his team: “We don't do everything right, but we don't give up.

We're doing everything we can." At the end of his club's European journey, he said: "I would like to thank everyone who has accompanied us on this journey." That included the supporters.

Cologne wants to play internationally again

Nevertheless, he criticized UEFA in the usual pithy words.

"That's the service provider that's supposed to organize the competition.

He shouldn't be the center of it all," Baumgart said after his team's retirement.

"Sometimes I have the feeling that it's a bit the other way around: that we are the by-product and the focus is then something else.

And I just don't like that," said Baumgart, referring to the European Football Union.

There are "very, very many things" where he thinks: "People, get your suppository out of your butt and relax a bit." Baumgart said: "It's about football and I just miss that a bit.

I don't want to offend anyone, but that just annoys me."

From his point of view, Baumgart cited nonsensical protocols that had to be observed as an example.

He also complained about the fourth official on the sidelines: "The boys are emotional two minutes before the end and stand and then the fourth comes and wants to put the boys down." However, Baumgart also explained with a smile that he would of course like to do it again would play internationally: "I still think it's nice - not that it comes across wrong."

After the first leg was overshadowed by serious riots in the stands, this time football was the focus of attention in the stadium.

Cologne fought sacrificially and narrowly missed out on victory after being two goals down at one point.

Sports director Thomas Kessler was also pleased that the fans honored the performance.

"When you see the pictures after the game, as much as the disappointment is, I think we did something great," he said.

Kessler explained: "It's been a long time since a team didn't achieve a goal and was then stuck in front of the curve like this.

That's what we have to take with us today: that we have a team where people go into the stadium and are absolutely convinced that they will always get a passionate fight, even if in the end it's sometimes not enough."

With a view to the three remaining games in the Bundesliga before the World Cup, Kessler said: "We still have exciting tasks until the winter break and then we will do everything we can to perhaps be able to represent 1. FC Köln again internationally in the future."