# Benno Schmitz

Benno Schmitz (born 17 November 1994) is a German professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Club Zürich.

## Career

Schmitz started playing football at local Munich club SV Waldperlach. In 2001, he joined the youth ranks of Bayern Munich where he eventually was promoted to their reserve team in 2012. Having failed to establish himself at the first team, he left the club and signed for Austrian champion Red Bull Salzburg in the summer of 2014.
On 23 August 2014, he made his league debut in a 5–0 home win against Rheindorf Altach by coming on as a substitute for Christian Schwegler after 83 minutes. In 2018, after a quiet stint with Leipzig, Schmitz was transferred to newly relegated side 1. FC Köln for a fee of €1.5 million. In March 2022, having established himself in the club's starting line-up during the 2021–22 season, Schmitz extended his contract at Köln until June 2024.
On 25 July 2024, he joined Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Club Zurich on a free transfer. He joins the Swiss record champions on a three-year deal until 2027.

## Career statistics

    As of match played on 24 May 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total | Ref. |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Ref. |
| Bayern Munich II | 2012–13 | Regionalliga Bayern | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |
| Bayern Munich II | 2013–14 | Regionalliga Bayern | 35 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 37 | 3 | |
| Bayern Munich II | Total | Total | 44 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 46 | 3 | — |
| FC Liefering | 2014–15 | Erste Liga | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2014–15 | Austrian Bundesliga | 21 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2015–16 | Austrian Bundesliga | 24 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 0 | |
| Red Bull Salzburg | Total | Total | 45 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 60 | 0 | — |
| RB Leipzig | 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 0 | |
| RB Leipzig | 2017–18 | Bundesliga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | |
| RB Leipzig | Total | Total | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 0 | — |
| 1. FC Köln II | 2018−19 | Regionalliga West | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 1. FC Köln II | 2019−20 | Regionalliga West | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 1. FC Köln | 2018−19 | 2. Bundesliga | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 | |
| 1. FC Köln | 2019−20 | Bundesliga | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 19 | 0 | |
| 1. FC Köln | 2020−21 | Bundesliga | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| 1. FC Köln | 2021−22 | Bundesliga | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 0 | |
| 1. FC Köln | 2022−23 | Bundesliga | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 1 | |
| 1. FC Köln | 2023−24 | Bundesliga | 22 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 24 | 1 | |
| 1. FC Köln | Total | Total | 129 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 142 | 2 | — |
| Grasshopper Club Zurich | 2024−25 | Swiss Super League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 245 | 4 | 19 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 276 | 5 | — |
* ↑ Appearances in the Regionalliga promotion play-offs
* ↑ Appearances in the Europa League
* ↑ Two appearances in the Champions League and one in the Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in the Relegation play-off
* ↑ Appearances in the Europa Conference League

## Honours
### RB Salzburg (4)

* Austrian Bundesliga: 2014–15, 2015–16
* Austrian Cup: 2014–15, 2015–16