Kompany’s observation about El Mala: 'That surprises many defenders'

Bayern Munich travel to Cologne with flawless numbers but no illusions. Thirteen wins from thirteen this season place them alongside the best European starts in modern memory, yet the DFB-Pokal has been a thorn in their side in recent years.

The club’s last journey beyond the quarterfinals came in 2020, a campaign that culminated in the domestic cup, the league title, and the Champions League. Since then, shock exits against Kiel, Mönchengladbach, and Saarbrücken have fueled a sense that perfection in autumn means little if it is not matched by knockout precision in winter and spring. That is the backdrop to Wednesday night in Müngersdorf, where the margin for error is thin and the stakes feel heavier than a regular early-round tie.

Vincent Kompany has made the tone clear. The objective is victory, and the message is that the competition itself demands a different focus. For Bayern, the DFB Pokal is not simply another fixture date on the calendar. It is an examination of mentality. In a one-off match, control of tempo, transitions, and set pieces often decide the outcome more than long spells of sterile dominance. Kompany’s emphasis on intensity without the ball and quick verticality when possession is won fits the cup environment, where quick swings can flip the script in minutes.

Cologne will look to stress those swing moments. As Kompany noted, they are dangerous on the counter and have hurt a number of teams with direct, well-timed breaks. Said El Mala embodies that threat. The 19-year-old’s double acceleration inside a single action is hard to track. He can appear passive for a beat, lure defenders into a stationary stance, then explode past the first challenge before kicking again through the second line. Two goals in his last three Bundesliga matches underline the point. For a back line that often defends high, those micro-sprints matter. The first defender must decide whether to step in front or hedge against the channel run. The covering defender must be ready to open their hips and run. Any hesitation creates the exact window El Mala attacks.

Bayern’s plan will likely revolve around compressing the middle third and denying the first forward-facing reception that powers Cologne’s counters. That starts with the first pass after a turnover. If Bayern can secure the counterpress in three seconds and force the ball back or sideways, Cologne’s runners lose the timing that makes them dangerous. If the press is broken, the defensive midfielder must drop early to screen the through ball while center backs delay rather than dive in. On the ball, Bayern will want shorter distances between units to avoid isolation traps near the touchline. Cologne’s best counterattacks come when an opponent is stretched and a sideways pass is stolen with space ahead.

Personnel choices will shape those details. Kompany’s recent selections hint at a balance between control and penetration. A deeper controller who can absorb pressure and circulate, paired with an interior who arrives in the box, provides security against counters without sacrificing numbers in attack. Wide players who can both hold width and attack half spaces are important in cup matches because they stretch low blocks and open the central lane for late runs. Fullbacks must pick their moments. Overlapping too early invites turnovers into vacated space. Arriving late, once circulation has disorganized the block, is safer and more effective.

Lennart Karl is another name to watch. Kompany’s comment about young players improving applies to him as much as to El Mala. If Karl can add sharper timing to his movements off the nine and attack the far post when the ball travels wide, he gives Bayern a different finishing profile for cutbacks and driven crosses. In matches where a low block refuses to break, that secondary runner often provides the decisive touch.

Set pieces could be decisive. Cup ties frequently hinge on a single corner or a forced save from a direct free kick. Bayern’s delivery must be consistent, and the second ball organization must be tight. Cologne will try to turn clearances into launchpads for counters. Leaving a stabilizing midfielder and a fullback high and central can preempt those transitions. Conversely, Bayern must be ready to commit numbers on their own counters after defending set pieces, since Cologne may also leave runners high to threaten the space behind.

Psychology is never far from the equation. The memory of recent exits will not vanish until Bayern write a new story. Yet the same evidence that fuels skepticism also supplies motivation. A perfect league and European start says the processes are working. The challenge is to translate that rhythm into the compressed jeopardy of a knockout. A controlled start, patient ball progression, and assertive pressing after losses of possession can take the emotion out of the evening and return it to the realm of structure and repetition.

Cologne’s crowd will try to tilt the field. Early duels, recovery runs, and sprint efforts in the first ten minutes are often the best barometer of who settles first. If Bayern establish field position high up and protect the rest defense, chances will come. If Cologne break the first line and find El Mala facing up with space, the match becomes a foot race that does not favor the favorites.

In short, Bayern arrive with pristine form and a clear plan. Cologne offer ambiguity and speed, the two ingredients that trouble any giant in a cup tie. The pathway for Bayern is method and patience. The pathway for Cologne is disruption and moments. One goal either way can swing the evening. That is why the hunger inside the Bayern camp feels tangible. Everyone knows what Berlin represents. The work begins in Müngersdorf.