El Mala Shines in Köln's Pre-Season Rout

FC Köln began their pre-season campaign with a decisive 5-0 victory over academy partner FC Rheinsüd Köln in their first friendly match. Said El Mala was among the players featured in the game under coach René Wagner. The team established a strong lead in the first half, with Luca Waldschmidt opening the scoring and Youssoupha Niang adding a second goal through a header.

Following halftime, coach Wagner made significant changes, replacing nearly the entire squad. Marius Bülter quickly made an impact, scoring a brace with a penalty and a well-taken first-time finish. Malek El Mala, Said's older brother, also contributed an excellent goal to the second-half tally. The club is preparing for their Bundesliga season, which starts at home against Hoffenheim.