On Sunday, those responsible for Fortune Cologne in the stadium on Hafenstr. what did you see A strong team of Red and white foodThe Wuppertaler SV should have shot down in the first half. The fact that it was only 2-1 for Essen in the end was due to the unexpected RWE exploitation of chances from the first half and a revived WSV in the second half. Those will also be the findings of those responsible in Cologne.

On Saturday (January 29, 2 p.m., RevierSport-Live ticker) Fortuna Cologne will then face Rot-Weiss Essen. An encounter that too Sebastian Zinke will attend. “I’m now working in financial consulting and our company is also a sponsor at Fortuna. So it’s obvious that I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the people of Cologne,” explains the 36-year-old former professional RevierSport.

Oh, RWE has been taking things seriously for ten years. Today I can say it: Even in my day, promotion was always the goal. You can’t sell anything else as Rot-Weiss Essen in the regional league. I also hope that this big club can do it soon too.

Sebastian Zinke

79 games for Fortuna Köln, including promotion to the third division, and 49 games for Rot-Weiss Essen. Once a decent defender, Zinke has played for both clubs. He still has fond memories of his time at RWE. “It was still in the Georg Melches Stadium back then. That flair doesn’t exist anymore. I’m proud that I was still able to experience that. Playing in Essen was something special,” he says.

But the father of two children – Isabel (7) and Philipp (3) – also has great memories of his time at Fortuna. “We got promoted. And we didn’t have the best team by any means. Viktoria had a better squad there, and other clubs did too. We won a few games and after the final whistle we didn’t even know how we did it. In the end it was the key to success was the incredible unity we had.In the regional league, individual class isn’t that important.

Born in Kassel, he has been living in the cathedral city with his wife Lisa and their children for years. So it is not surprising that he is also feverishly with Fortuna this season. “I’m betting on a 2-1 win for Fortuna and of course I also hope that Cologne will be promoted. RWE can then be promoted next year.”

Keyword RWE promotion: For three years, RWE has been really serious about promotion to the third division. Zinke has a counter to this thesis: “Oh, RWE has been serious about it for ten years. Today I can say it: Even in my day, promotion was always the goal. You can’t do anything as Rot-Weiss Essen in the regional league either. I also hope that this big club will make it soon.” It’s up to Zinke, but only for the 2022/2023 season.