Cologne legend Lukas Podolski returns for testimonial
Legendary striker for club and country Lukas Podolski is back in Cologne for a testimonial in front of a sold-out Rheinenergiestadion on Thursday evening (kick-off: 8.45pm CET). Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels and Per Mertesacker are among the stars of past and present who will also feature in the match.
It is some 21 years since an 18-year-old Lukas Podolski made his Bundesliga debut for Cologne - and the goals began to fly in immediately afterwards. The striker's long and distinguished career continues at Gornik Zabrze in his family homeland of Poland, but ahead of turning 40 next summer he is back at his beloved home club for a testimonial.
"Our number 10 is returning home for one last time in red and white," was the message with which Cologne advertised the game - although they needed little help to sell all 50,000 tickets given the great fondness with which fans remember Podolski's two spells at the club, in between time at Bayern Munich and Arsenal, among others.
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