The Frankfurt footballers are looking forward to the Liverpool highlight and are looking for solutions to fend off various guest attackers. One of them still wears the Eintracht eagle on his chest. At least sometimes.
There are footballers who should avoid Frankfurt’s Waldstadion if they don’t want to be subjected to a concert of catcalls. Just mention Randal Kolo Muani, who once walked away from Eintracht. Or, on a different topic, all Leipzig players. They don’t like them in Hessian, so they don’t give a damn. Also deafening.
When Liverpool FC visits the Frankfurt city forest for a much-noticed Champions League kick on Wednesday (9 p.m./live in the audio stream), there will certainly be one or two people in the wide circle blowing their air loudly through their lips. Maybe even 55,000. Ball contact after ball contact. Not out of any particular malice towards the skyline-high favorite. On the contrary. Special games require special measures. All the stops of fandom are pulled out.
Ekitikés private training in Eintracht dress
And yet there could be a guest player who is greeted with applause here and there, perhaps even everywhere and clearly audible. Hugo Ekitiké, only on the ball in Frankfurt for a year and a half and yet with a lasting impression. After an initial lurch, someone stormed his way right into Frankfurt’s football heart. 64 appearances with the Eintracht eagle on his chest, 26 goals, 14 assists, one of the best attackers among many excellent attackers from Eintracht’s recent past.
Ekitiké is still valued in Frankfurt, as a player, as a guy. Above all because he valued the club. After his failed attempt in Paris, the 23-year-old knows that without Eintracht he would not have made it to the world football stage – and vice versa. The Hessians probably wouldn’t play royal football on Wednesday without the Frenchman either. The fact that Ekitiké recently carried out a private training session in Eintracht uniform on social media may have only increased Frankfurt’s popularity towards him.
Bundesliga professionals ultimately just a replacement
Spectacular dribbling, spectacular goals, spectacular players – and at the same time nothing more than that. Because people like Ekitiké or his congenial partner from before, Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), are what they have long recognized in the tradition-conscious Frankfurt environment: a business model. A goal-scoring savior today, a million-seller tomorrow, and in the best case still accompanied by beautiful memories.
Ekitiké has been storming for Liverpool since the summer, is a star among world stars there and is doing a good job. The Frenchman, who thanks to the increased attention is now allowed to play for his home country’s senior team, has scored five goals so far and is exactly five goals ahead of his former Bundesliga colleague Florian Wirtz. What they both have in common: Most recently they were on the bench, Reds coach Arne Slot had no places left for them in the starting eleven in the prestigious duel with Manchester United, which was lost 2-1. It was Liverpool’s fourth defeat in a row.
Liverpool under pressure
The internal competition is huge for Ekitiké. Alexander Isak, the squad’s second signed center forward, is no goals ahead of the former Frankfurt player, but is around 50 million euros in summer transfer fee. Does it play a role in the trainer’s choice of personnel? On the one hand, hypothetically. On the other hand, just as likely as Ekitiké’s nomination to the starting eleven against his former club on Wednesday.
Eintracht will face a great attack force. The Reds are like the Hessians so far with three points from two Champions League games and therefore significantly more pressure. A guest who dominates the game and the home team hungry to win the ball are a likely variant. But how do Liverpool millionaires stop them? A question that many ask at Eintracht in view of their own defensive deficits.
Frankfurter Defensive deficiencies
Last at 2:2 in Freiburg Coach Dino Toppmöller prescribed the three-man or five-man bar to his team for the first time this season, only to realize that the sheer number of defenders does not protect against adversity. National player Robin Koch made a mistake and is completely out of shape anyway, Goalkeeper Kaua Santos has never been there this season after a long injury layoff. In addition, the sturdy Aurèle Amenda, who made a decent season debut in the starting line-up in Breisgau, but very few who support Eintracht would like to see one-on-one with agile Ekitiké.
At least Arthur Theate showed a more stable performance than before, and Rasmus Kristensen also underlined the enormous value for the team after his return. The team actually seemed more stable overall, mind you, at the expense of the otherwise furious offensive. Logical, somehow. Against Liverpool, fast people like Ansgar Knauff and Jean-Matteo Bahoya could be of use to Eintracht’s own attack efforts. All in all, however, the most important thing will be to bring the famous collective into the mix. If one is played, the next Frankfurter has to go, and the next, and the next. And last but not least, the smart audience.
