ÖFB Legionnaire: Ex-Rapidler Praises Gala Performance

An ÖFB legionnaire made it into the “kicker” eleven on the ninth match day in Germany. But it wasn’t Konrad Laimer or Marcel Sabitzer – it was Cologne veteran Florian Kainz who caused a sensation with a top performance at the weekend.

The 33-year-old was in the “Effzeh” starting line-up for the first time this season in the 4-1 win against HSV and scored the 2-0 with a dream free kick. The ex-Rapidler shone in midfield as a thinker and leader.

Coach Lukas Kwasniok praised Kainz after the game. “I decided to start with a target player and a depth player. Then it helps if you have an intelligent player like Kainz in the squad. We rarely choose this orientation, but we wanted to create this three-two situation in midfield – Kainz was the perfect man for that.”

The ÖFB legionnaire has been playing in Cologne since 2019 and has 197 games under his belt for the “billy goats”. The former captain is now mostly used as a “joker” – the gala appearance will do little to change that. “He will no longer be able to play for 90 minutes every game,” says Kwasniok.

Kainz, who has lost his captaincy, takes on his “Joker” role. “It’s a new situation. We’re having good success, I’m trying to do my best – no matter what role. I think I accepted this role well. It was always clearly communicated what the situation was.”