The prospect of the next magical night and another title has brightened the recently gloomy mood around Eintracht Frankfurt – at least for the time being.
With the hard-earned entry into the DFB Cup final, the Hessian Bundesliga club has given a remarkable response to the public criticism of the past few weeks. It was “balm for the soul”, explained Captain Sebastian Rode.
The 3:2 (0:1) in the semi-finals at VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday probably hasn’t ended the discussions about the future of coach Oliver Glasner, but has calmed them down temporarily. The final against RB Leipzig on June 3rd in Berlin will be the fourth final of a cup competition in six years for the cup specialists from Main. At the end of a changeable season, another pot and the European Cup qualifiers beckon. But the joy in Frankfurt is not unlimited. The situation remains mixed.
“Shows what a great team we are”
He was “incredibly happy about this victory, this willpower,” said Glasner after the nerve-wracking battle between the Europa League winners and the Stuttgarters, who were threatened with relegation in the Bundesliga, and gave his team a “compliment”. Being in a final for the second time in two years “shows what a great team we are,” emphasized the 48-year-old.
After the game, the coach had already celebrated with the Eintracht fans and again showed his now legendary diver. With him he had already celebrated the victories in the past Europa League season, which ended almost a year ago with the final triumph in Seville. In Stuttgart, the scene was a symbol of relief. The last few weeks have been “exhausting,” said Glasner.
There was a lot of speculation and talk about the coach. That he could leave Eintracht in the summer despite a contract that runs until 2024. That his relationship with parts of the team is no longer intact. That there were differences of opinion between him and sports director Markus Krösche. Glasner, who is said to have been courted by top European clubs, had denied this and recently emphasized several times that he expected to continue training Frankfurt in the coming season.
Cup coup could unleash more power
After the victory in Stuttgart, he now made it clear how much all these discussions bothered him. “I can’t quite understand a lot of things,” said Glasner. Up until two years ago, a round like this would have been “an excellent season for Eintracht,” he said. Ninth place in the league, knockout round in the Champions League, final in the DFB Cup – the people of Frankfurt have certainly seen worse times.
“It shows again what limits we have obviously shifted in the last two years because it has now led to our work and mine being called into question. As if everything were no longer good enough for Eintracht,” explained Glasner and pushed again afterwards: “I often can’t do anything with that.” The renewed chance for the title should now help. Him and the whole club.
“Extremely important” was the win against VfB, said sporting director Krösche. “Especially after this long dry spell and the criticism, which is rightly there and should still be there. We are still not satisfied with the last few weeks,” he explained. After all, Frankfurt have not won in the league for nine games. After CEO Axel Hellmann cleared the rumors of his possible departure this week, the cup coup could unleash more power.
The long negative series would have “spent on our nerves,” admitted midfielder Rode. But the Frankfurters can continue to rely on their cup qualities. “We seem to be wide awake on floodlit nights,” said Rode with a grin. Titles are “what is remembered in the end,” said his teammate Djibril Sow. “If we could do that again, it would be a great two years for Eintracht Frankfurt.” And all the hassle of the past few weeks may be forgotten.
