Köln continued their pre-season preparations with a dominant 8-0 victory over SV Bergisch Gladbach 09, a partner club of their academy setup. The fixture provided a platform for Said El Mala to enhance his growing reputation, with the 19-year-old midfielder contributing both a goal and an assist amidst ongoing transfer speculation linking him with Borussia Dortmund.
The Germany Under-21 international opened his involvement by supplying the assist for Luca Waldschmidt’s opening strike. The same attacking partnership combined effectively for Köln’s second goal, with El Mala applying a confident first-time finish to establish a commanding early lead against their regional neighbours.
Dortmund Interest
El Mala’s performance comes at a sensitive time in his young career. Sky Sports reported earlier on the same day that Köln had formally declined an initial transfer offer from Borussia Dortmund for the teenager. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his immediate future, club officials have publicly praised the player’s exemplary attitude throughout the negotiation process. He demonstrated this professionalism by maintaining focus and delivering a decisive contribution during this second pre-season fixture.
Squad Rotation and Goal Scorers
Manager Rene Wagner utilised the match to manage his squad’s fitness levels, electing to field an entirely different XI following the half-time interval. This strategy allowed fringe players and new arrivals to gain valuable minutes against the fifth-tier hosts.
Youssoupha Niang notably capitalised on his opportunity by netting twice after the break, continuing a productive scoring run during the club’s summer preparations. New defensive acquisition Luka Lochoshvili also registered his name on the scoresheet. The Georgian centre-back arrives with an established eye for goal, having found the net on five occasions in the 2. Bundesliga for Nürnberg during his debut campaign in Germany.
Later in the match, the coaching team withdrew captain Fabio Gruber and Lochoshvili in favour of academy prospects Alexios Kalogeropoulos and Mikayil Faye. The comprehensive result extends Köln’s positive start to their summer schedule as they build towards the forthcoming campaign.