With a smile on his face: Simon Straudi poses in his new club's jersey. © fcenergie.de / Steve Seiffert

Off to Germany! Simon Straudi has a new club

The waiting is over: After weeks of searching for a club, South Tyrolean professional footballer Simon Straudi has found a new employer. He's moving from Austria to the far east of Germany.

September 17, 2025

From: fop

Since his contract with Austrian Bundesliga club Austria Klagenfurt ended last July, Simon Straudi has been sidelined, but now he can breathe a sigh of relief: FC Energie Cottbus has signed him for the coming season. And in doing so, he's also creating a first, as the traditional club from Lusatia has never before featured an Italian player.

Straudi spent the past three years with FK Austria Klagenfurt, making 53 first-division appearances (4 assists). Last season alone, he made 26 appearances, but it wasn't enough to warrant a contract extension.

Simon Straudi has recently been a regular in the Austrian Bundesliga. © APA / ERWIN SCHERIAU

The right winger had already been training with the team at the German third division club, which competed in the Bundesliga for a total of six years in the 2000s and occasionally caused a sensation as an underdog, since last week - and apparently made a lasting impression.

“Simon convinced us in training” Energy trainer Claus-Dieter Wollitz

Straudi's new head coach, Claus-Dieter Wollitz, said at the player presentation: "Simon impressed us in training, and then we quickly came to an agreement." Cottbus squad planner Maniyel Nergiz added: "He is a very interesting and experienced player who we have had on our list for some time."

The third South Tyrolean in league three

For the Pusterer, it is thus a move from the Austrian elite class to the third German league, where two other South Tyroleans will be playing alongside him: Lukas Mazagg (25/SSV Ulm) from Glurns and Max Reinthaler (30/1860 Munich) from Algund.

German football is certainly not new territory for Straudi, having joined Werder Bremen's youth academy from FC Südtirol in 2016. He played for the Bundesliga club's U19 team and later for the reserve team in the Regionalliga before moving to Klagenfurt.