Overview
- Köln coach René Wagner said Said El Mala is fully fit after a recent mild flu and has returned to full training, making him a candidate for the club’s starting lineup.
- Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp selected El Mala for “Team two” of the DFB’s expanded XXL squad for the upcoming Nations League matches.
- Köln will not send El Mala to the U21 for the international window and instead will run an individual preparation plan in Cologne to manage his load and readiness.
- El Mala’s inclusion follows a year of mixed national-team interactions when Julian Nagelsmann briefly called him up without playing him and later criticised his defensive play before he was left off the World Cup roster.
- Being in the XXL squad gives El Mala exposure to the senior set-up but does not guarantee match minutes, and Wagner said he hopes the call-up will lead to El Mala earning a debut with Germany.