Transfer rumors: Why did Kofler take a break?

After FC Südtirol's three-team tournament on Saturday at Bolzano's Drusus Stadium, wild rumors swirled about Raphael Kofler. Did the FCS gem not play against Bologna and Sassuolo because he's about to drop to Serie A?

July 27, 2025

From: cst

The strong performances of FC Südtirol at Three-way tournament against first division teams Bologna (0-0) and Sassuolo (1-1) weren't the number one topic of conversation among FCS fans on Saturday. Instead, they discussed why Raphael Kofler wasn't in the White-Reds' squad.

It's no longer a secret that the 20-year-old is being courted by Serie A clubs. Kofler himself recently remained deliberately calm, saying that his focus is entirely on FCS (SportNews has reported). However, Kofler didn't play in Saturday's preseason tournament at the Drusus Stadium, which was attended by around 3000 spectators. Was he rested by the club to avoid risking injury before a transfer?

The answer: No! Kofler was already suffering from a persistent cold last week, which turned out to be bronchitis. The FCS talent was also unable to compete against St. Georgen. For the same reason, Kofler sat in the stands on Saturday. Raphael Odogwu, who is suffering from back problems, was also rested.