Köln 'planning without' El Mala for Stuttgart as illness lingers

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·3 September 2026

1. FC Köln are likely to be without attacking star El Mala for Friday’s Bundesliga trip to VfB Stuttgart, with the 19-year-old still unwell.

According to Geissblog, he has missed training in recent days with a cold and was not on the team bus that left for Stuttgart on Thursday.

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There remains a small chance he could yet travel in time for the match, but head coach René Wagner and his staff are currently planning without him.

Striker Thijs Dallinga is also understood to have stayed behind due to a gastrointestinal infection.

Dallinga scored twice off the bench in Köln’s 3-2 opening-day win over TSG Hoffenheim.

Source: BuLi News

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