News blog about 1. FC Cologne
Kwasniok’s emotional El Mala speech: “Weigh it carefully”
Updated 10/16/2025 – 4:19 p.mReading time: 18 minutes
1. FC Köln is playing first class again this season. In the news ticker on t-online you will find all the important reports about the “billy goats”.
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Said El Mala is currently on everyone’s lips in football Germany. Only Lukas Kwasniok acted surprised when he was asked about the 19-year-old at the press conference before the game against FC Augsburg on Thursday. “I didn’t notice any hype about Said,” said the coach with a smile. Before the international break, El Mala was in the starting line-up for the first time for FC against TSG Hoffenheim – and promptly scored the goal in a 1-0 win.
For Kwasniok, however, this does not mean that the attacker will be on the pitch from the start against Augsburg. “Just because someone scores a goal doesn’t mean they’ll automatically start in the future,” said the coach. On the one hand it’s about using “the flow”, but on the other hand you also have to protect the player. The 44-year-old continued: “I know that this is very difficult for all of you to accept – but the boy is 19 years old and has now played three games within a week, at Bundesliga and U21 level.”
El Mala is not as used to this as the professionals. And so Kwasniok also became emotional: “I don’t want to sit here one day and answer the question: Why didn’t you take care of the boy? If he gets injured because we were a little careless and catapulted him into something that was irresponsible.” The coach wanted to leave it open as to whether El Mala would start again on Saturday against Augsburg. “We have to carefully consider the decision as to whether Said will help us from the start or even more from the bench.”
Thursday, October 16, 2025
1. FC Köln is apparently interested in signing Kuba Nawrocki. This is what transfer expert Rudy Galetti reports. In addition to FC, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg and several clubs from Italy are also said to be watching the young Pole. Nawrocki moved to the second team of Widzew Łódź in the summer of 2024 – the club from which Imad Rondić came to FC in January 2025.