News blog about 1. FC Cologne
That’s why El Mala didn’t play in his special position
Updated on December 7, 2025 – 5:12 p.mReading time: 42 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”.
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Said El Mala was recently described as a “specialist” by Lukas Kwasniok. The attacker of the 1. FC Cologne is a winger who moves from the sidelines to the center with speed and dribbling skills. But against FC St. Pauli, the FC coach brought his storm jewel into the center.
“If the opponent plays with five defenders, Said first has to dribble out one and then another usually comes,” the 44-year-old explained his surprising personnel decision after the game. “The probability is higher in the center if he is faster.” El Mala had two great chances in the first half and scored his goal to make it 1-0 in the second half.
But Kwasniok also emphasized that the player’s training was also behind the decision. “That will make Said better if he doesn’t just limit himself to dribbling. That will make him and us more unpredictable.” The 19-year-old could start on the nine again in the derby at Bayer Leverkusen next Saturday.
Friday, December 5, 2025
Jörn Stobbe, the President of the 1. FC Cologne speaks out in favor of the Olympic Games in Cologne and North Rhine-Westphalia. “The Olympics are a huge opportunity for the city of Cologne,” said Stobbe on Friday evening at a members’ event in the Rheinenergiestadion. “If you do it right, if you do it sustainably, you can make a difference with Cologne as a leading city.”
Stobbe further promised that the FC would work to ensure that the survey in April 2026 is positive. “In Cologne, we have a sports-loving supporter in the new mayor who has good contacts with the DOSB. The city of Cologne must take advantage of this.”
Thursday, December 4, 2025
1. FC Köln’s most expensive purchase returns to the starting line-up: On Saturday against FC St. Pauli, Rav van den Berg will be in the Billy Goats’ starting line-up for the first time since the third matchday – for the first time since he suffered a sprained shoulder joint in Wolfsburg. “I can confirm that,” says Lukas Kwasniok.
The coach is convinced that the Dutchman will justify the eight million euros that FC transferred to Middlesbrough for him. “Rav can simply play football, has a relatively calm pulse and overall very good hardware for a central defender – a lot of size, good pace and a gift for defending well in individual tactics,” praises Kwasniok.