In a friendly encounter held at Merkur Arena on 25 July 2025, Leicester City faced off against FC Köln, ultimately succumbing to a 3-1 defeat. The match, which kicked off at 4:00pm, saw the Foxes struggle to contain their German opponents, who showcased their attacking prowess throughout the game.
Leicester City adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation, aiming to balance defensive solidity with attacking flair. Jakub Stolarczyk took his place in goal, shielded by a back four consisting of Olabade Aluko on the right, Conor Coady and Jannik Vestergaard in central defence, and James Justin on the left. The midfield duo of Oliver Skipp and Harry Winks was tasked with controlling the centre of the park, while Kasey McAteer and Jeremy Monga operated as right and left attacking midfielders, respectively. Louis Page played centrally behind lone striker Jordan Ayew, who was expected to lead the line and convert chances into goals.
The substitutes for Leicester included Abdul Fatawu, Ben Nelson, Silko Thomas, Jayden Joseph, and Wanya Marçal, providing options for tactical adjustments as the match progressed.
The match began with FC Köln asserting their dominance early on. Just five minutes in, they opened the scoring with a well-placed shot from inside the box, finding the back of the net with a right-footed strike. Leicester struggled to respond as Köln continued to press, and in the 17th minute, they doubled their lead with a stunning effort from outside the area, this time struck with the left foot.
Leicester's hopes were reignited just before half-time when Kasey McAteer capitalised on a goalmouth scramble, slotting the ball home with his right foot in the 43rd minute. However, the joy was short-lived as Jordan Ayew received a yellow card for dissent just before the whistle, followed closely by James Justin, who was cautioned for a bad tackle, leaving Leicester with a sense of frustration as they headed into the break trailing 2-1.
As the second half commenced, Leicester made tactical changes, introducing Abdul Fatawu and Ben Nelson in the 66th minute, replacing Louis Page and Jannik Vestergaard, respectively. The substitutions aimed to inject fresh energy into the side, but the Foxes struggled to find their rhythm against a resolute Köln defence.
In the 75th minute, Silko Thomas came on for Jeremy Monga, further altering Leicester's attacking dynamics. However, as the match wore on, Leicester's discipline began to wane. In the 85th minute, Oliver Skipp was penalised for a late tackle, conceding a penalty that could have sealed the game for Köln.
Jakub Stolarczyk, however, had other ideas, showcasing his shot-stopping ability by saving the penalty in the 87th minute, a moment of brilliance that briefly lifted the spirits of the Leicester supporters. Unfortunately for the Foxes, the reprieve was short-lived, as Köln quickly capitalised on the rebound, scoring a third goal with a simple tap-in just moments later, effectively putting the game beyond Leicester's reach.
Despite the defeat, Jakub Stolarczyk's performance in goal stood out, earning him recognition as the player of the match. Leicester City will need to regroup and reassess as they prepare for their upcoming fixtures, hoping to build on the positives from this encounter while addressing the defensive frailties exposed by FC Köln.
