Max Eberl raves about Cologne jewel Said El Mala – and surprises with surprisingly detailed knowledge about the youngster
Said El Mala did not have a great day in FC Bayern’s 3:1 win in Cologne. The 19-year-old was largely pale against Vincent Kompany’s dominant team, the shooting star of 1. FC Köln was unable to make a real impact. And yet El Mala was suddenly the center of attention after the game – not because of his performance, but because of Max Eberl’s remarkable statements
Eberl is asked about El Mala – and initially remains reserved
The Bayern sporting director was in high spirits as he fielded questions from journalists at the RheinEnergieSTADION on Wednesday evening. The mood was relaxed, after all, the Munich team had just set the next record with the best first half of the season in Bundesliga history and lead the table by eleven points after 17 match days
However, when Eberl was asked about Said El Mala, the tone initially changed. The 52-year-old was deliberately matter-of-fact when asked whether the youngster would be in good hands in Cologne – and whether he could possibly become an issue for FC Bayern. „You’ll have to ask his colleagues in Cologne what they think of him. He’s under contract with FC,“ Eberl replied, avoiding any transfer debate
Depth of detail reveals more than restraint
However, he was clearly not completely unaffected by the topic. With a slight smile, Eberl added: „I think a boy from Cologne who also played in Gladbach’s youth team, if I’ve understood correctly.“ A sentence that initially seemed casual – and then developed a dynamic all of its own
When a Cologne reporter interjected that El Mala came from the „Krefeld youth“, Eberl responded promptly. „But also in the Gladbach youth,“ the Bayern boss clarified – suddenly very certain. The journalist rowed back and explained that he had only classified El Mala as such because of his place of birth, Krefeld
Eberl hesitated briefly, only to expand further. „Ah, I don’t know that again,“ he said – and then went straight on: „But Gladbach youth and Meerbusch, I think, and then ended up at FC via Viktoria.“ A knowledge of detail that did not go unnoticed in the mixed zone
Laughs – and a clear compliment
When Eberl himself realized how precise his comments had become, he responded with humour. „Shit, now you think I know him well,“ he said with a laugh. The Mixed Zone acknowledged the moment with laughter – but the message had long since been received
In the end, the sporting director had clear words for the Cologne shooting star: „Great kid, fun to watch him play soccer,“ was Eberl’s conclusion, an honest compliment that stuck despite all the restraint
The impression was confirmed: Eberl knows Said El Mala much better than he initially wanted to convey. That is not surprising. With seven goals and three assists from 17 Bundesliga games, the 19-year-old is one of the up-and-coming faces of this season and was even allowed to audition for national coach Julian Nagelsmann in November
The fact that FC Bayern are keeping a close eye on such players is part of their daily business. According to Sky, the DFB youngster is even high on Munich’s wish list for the summer transfer window 2026.