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FC Cologne head coach René Wagner hopes Tuesday’s emphatic 5-0 DFB-Pokal victory over Union Berlin can help his side rediscover their goalscoring confidence after a difficult start to the Bundesliga campaign. The Cologne trainernevertheless insists that little changed in his team’s preparation for the cup encounter.
Cologne managed just eight goals through their opening seven Bundesliga fixtures. Their attacking problems have become particularly pronounced since losing both of their strikers to injury. The Rhinelanders scored only twice across their last three league matches and failed to find the net in either of their two most recent outings.
Last Saturday’s goalless draw against Schalke 04 did little to ease concerns about the club’s attacking output. Just three days later, however, Cologne produced their most convincing offensive performance of the season. German international Said El Mala spearheaded the 5-0 triumph over Union Berlin with two goals and an assist. Linton Maina also scored, while Isak Bergmann Johannesson and Sebastian Sebulonsen completed the rout.
The result sent Cologne into the DFB-Pokal round of 16 and provided a considerable confidence boost ahead of an immediate Bundesliga rematch with the capital city side, this time at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei in Köpenick.
René Wagner: “We didn’t change up anything big”
Speaking to reporters at Cologne’s training ground ahead of Sunday’s league encounter, Wagner expressed satisfaction that his players had finally been rewarded for their work on the training pitch.
“I was glad the boys could make it worth their while,” Wagner told reporters on the sidelines of Cologne’s training ground. “We’re aware of what we’re doing here every day. We know what we’re building here. The [preparation] work prior to Union [in the Pokal] was no different than it was before Schalke [in the league]. We had far too little time [for anything different]. We just stuck to our plan.”
Cologne’s failure to score against Schalke had raised questions about whether Wagner needed to make more substantial tactical adjustments. The 38-year-old nevertheless maintained that the emphatic cup victory resulted from continued work on the existing approach rather than any fundamental change.
“Of course, football doesn’t always go as planned,” Wagner continued. “It doesn’t always work out. I can only hope that it does in most of the games. But again, by far the most important thing is that the boys believed that we could score goals. We didn’t do anything crazy. We didn’t change up anything big. We worked on details that were lacking.”
The contrast between the two performances was striking. Against Schalke, Cologne struggled to translate their possession and attacking efforts into clear opportunities. Against Union, Wagner’s side repeatedly exploited turnovers and defensive gaps with rapid combinations. El Mala and Maina proved particularly effective together.
Cologne seek attacking rhythm ahead of immediate Union rematch
The question now is whether Tuesday’s goalscoring display represents a genuine turning point for Cologne’s attack or merely a welcome exception to their recent Bundesliga struggles. Wagner hopes the confidence gained from the cup victory will encourage his attacking players to express themselves more freely.
“Linton [Maina] said it and we talked about it as well,” Wagner concluded. “When one breaks free of the chains, it’s possible to play through with confidence and courage. We’ll then get chances and it’s up to them to convert it. They’ve managed that now, five times in one game. Hopefully, as we prepare to face Union again, we’ll be able to get into a rhythm that allows us to approach these games with greater ease.”
Cologne will have an immediate opportunity to demonstrate that their newfound attacking confidence can carry over into Bundesliga competition. On Sunday afternoon, Wagner’s team travel to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei for their second meeting with Union Berlin in the space of five days.
Cologne must prove that Tuesday’s impressive finishing can be replicated in the league. For Wagner, the challenge is to translate an encouraging cup performance into sustained Bundesliga improvement. After scoring just eight times in seven league matches, five goals in one evening offered a timely reminder of what his players are capable of achieving.
