“Riera has a bit of herself to blame”
Matthäus predicts coaching changes in Frankfurt
May 5, 2026 – 8:52 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
Lothar Matthäus no longer believes in Albert Riera’s future at Eintracht Frankfurt – and gives clear reasons for this. What happens after the game at BVB is still unclear.
Record national player Lothar Matthäus has described coach Albert Riera as being primarily responsible for the sporting and atmospheric crisis at Eintracht Frankfurt. In his column for the pay channel Sky, Matthäus wrote that he believes Riera’s time with the Bundesliga club will soon end.
Matthäus explained: “I wouldn’t wish any coach to be kicked out, I’ve experienced something like that myself for other reasons, but Riera has a little bit to blame. In Frankfurt in the last three or four months everything has revolved around the coach, also through some of the statements that Riera made.” And further: “I don’t think Riera can still have a future in Frankfurt. Too much has happened for that.”
Riera moved to Eintracht Frankfurt in February as the successor to Dino Toppmöller. In twelve games he won four, drawn four and lost four. In addition to the results, his treatment of the team is also criticized. The relationship with leading players such as Mario Götze or Jonathan Burkardt is considered distant. He has also lost support among the fans. Most recently, he attracted attention with an angry speech against the media.
The 2-1 defeat against Hamburger SV meant Frankfurt dropped out of the European Cup places. Sports director Markus Krösche did not clearly support Riera after the game. Matthäus concluded that the change of coach had brought nothing. According to media reports, Riera will still be on the bench at BVB in the away game on Friday (8.30 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online). It will then be decided whether he will continue to carry out his duties on the last day of the home game against VfB Stuttgart.
