Said El Mala criticized Bayer Leverkusen’s conduct following the 1.
FC Köln’s 1-2 home defeat in the Bundesliga on Sunday, describing the visitors’ behavior as “ridiculous.” According to SPOX, the Köln forward expressed frustration after his team failed to overcome an early deficit, marking their first loss at home in six matches across all competitions.
The match turned contentious in the 50th minute when, following a fall by teammate Mikey Moore, Köln players expected play to stop due to an injury. Instead, Leverkusen continued to play, leading to an on-field confrontation. “At every foul, they turned I don’t know how many times,” El Mala told DAZN. “In my opinion, that has nothing to do with football; it’s a bit ridiculous.”
Aleix García Scores Early Before Second-Half Tensions Rise
Aleix García opened the scoring for the visitors in the 7th minute with a direct free kick. The match remained high-tempo throughout, with both sides seeking direct offensive opportunities. T-Online reported that the second half grew increasingly physical, characterized by several heated encounters along the sidelines.
Patrik Schick extended Leverkusen’s lead in the 86th minute, effectively securing the result. Although Said El Mala scored a goal in the 92nd minute—assisted by a cross from his brother, Malek El Mala—it was not enough to prevent the loss.
“It’s a shame it came a bit too late,” El Mala said, noting that while he was pleased to combine with his brother, the points were the priority.
Aleix García Addresses Internal Criticism
The goal-scorer Aleix García entered the match following public criticism from teammate Robert Andrich regarding his defensive performance in a recent Europa League loss to Olympique Marseille. According to WELT, Andrich had stated that “standing still” after a mistake was an issue of attitude that “should never happen.”
“I spoke with Rob, everything is good,” García told DAZN. Leverkusen captain Edmond Tapsoba and coach Carles Martínez also sought to downplay the dispute, with Martínez noting that comments made in the heat of frustration after a loss are sometimes exaggerated. Ibrahim Maza praised García’s response, calling his performance and mentality “a super reaction” to the recent pressure.
Bundesliga Standings and Upcoming Schedule
The result leaves 1. The team currently holds 9 points after nine matches, placing them 15th in the league table, according to T-Online. Leverkusen, meanwhile, remains in the top half of the table with 16 points.
Why the Köln and Leverkusen Confrontation Occurred
The incident occurred when Köln players demanded a penalty after Mikey Moore fell in the box and attempted to put the ball out of play to attend to the injury. Leverkusen players chose to continue play, which resulted in a confrontation and a brief period of heated exchanges between the two squads.
While Robert Andrich publicly criticized Aleix García’s defensive effort earlier in the week, both players appeared to reconcile before the derby. García responded to the criticism by scoring the opening goal in the 7th minute, a performance that his teammate Ibrahim Maza later described as a display of strong mentality.
FC Köln?
1. FC Köln is scheduled to play away against Bayern München on November 20.
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