The Köln Sentinel
Squad26 Feb 2029
A one-man rearguard from Florian Müller
There were 18 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Match24 Feb 2029
16 matches without a win for Köln
The run now stands at 16, and the questions being asked around Köln are no longer polite ones.
Squad26 Feb 2029
Julian Brandt in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Köln this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad26 Feb 2029
Defences have started doubling up on Saïd El Mala
11 goals and a season average of 7.33 will do that. The space he used to find has gone; he keeps scoring anyway, which is the mark of the real thing.
Squad26 Feb 2029
No hiding place for Jastin
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Jastin, and the manager let it.
Player ratings26 Feb 2029
A masterclass from Saïd El Mala
Marked 8.65 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
Player ratings26 Feb 2029
Ísak Jóhannesson in the eights
A performance of 8.11 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Market26 Feb 2029
A long bet from Köln on Joseph Wright
He is 17, and nobody at Köln signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.
Match24 Feb 2029
Honours even between Köln and VfB Stuttgart
1‑1, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.
In brief
- Market Eliás Montiel linked with a move away
- Player ratings Love Arrhov runs at them all day
- Market Köln shop where it costs nothing