Eintracht Frankfurt has said goodbye to the Champions League. SSC Naples was also a number too big for the Hessians in the round of 16 second leg.
Eintracht Frankfurt was eliminated in the round of 16 of the Champions League. After 0-2 defeat in the first leg the Hessians also lost the second leg at SSC Naples on Wednesday 0:3 (0:1). Victor Osimhen scored twice (45th minute + 2, 53rd), Piotr Zielinski with a penalty kick for the Italians (64th), who made it into the quarter-finals of the premier class for the first time in the club’s history.
Unattractive pictures and a sporty surprise
In the afternoon there had been unsightly pictures from Naples. Eintracht and Napoli fans devastated the city center, chairs and pyrotechnics flew, a police car burst into flames. After all, no one was seriously injured, at least before the game.
That there would be clashes between rival fan groups around the game was after the stadium ban for the Hessian annex almost to be expected. The big surprise of the evening was therefore more of a sporting nature: Oliver Glasner switched his system to a back four.
Naples is more mature, Götze’s misunderstanding
The Hessians didn’t look really stable in their 4-2-3-1. Kevin Trapp was challenged for the first time in the second minute. The keeper safely deflected Matteo Politano’s shot to the side. And Trapp was also there against Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. First in the 19th minute from an acute angle, then in the 43rd minute. Even the best Frankfurter to date was powerless against a header from Osimhen, who was able to take eight meters in the center of the goal without any pressure (45 +2).
Napoli showed the more mature game system, was more sure of the ball than the guests and had the better room layout. The home side’s 1-0 lead at break was therefore not undeserved. Frankfurt didn’t get a single dangerous shot on goal in the first half, but for a long time they had the most promising action in the first half. After a sweet pass from Daichi Kamada, Mario Götze and Rafael Borré went through freely. Because Götze wanted to leave for Borré, who was probably offside and did not intervene, SSC keeper Alex Meret splashed in between and defuse the situation.
Eintracht is losing faith
Any hope that Eintracht would turn the game around in the second half was dashed after just eight minutes. Napoli combined well into the Hessian penalty area. Again Politano found Osimhen with a sharp cross, who only had to push the ball over the line (53′).
Belief in the quarter-finals was fading – and Napoli still didn’t have enough. Trapp was there again to counter Kvaratskhelia’s long-range shot (61′), but there was a penalty just a minute later after Djibril Sow first hit the ball and then Zielinski in the penalty area. The man who was fouled started himself and increased it to 3:0 (64th). game over
Head up to Berlin
Despite a clear inferiority, Eintracht can say goodbye to the Champions League with their heads held high. After all, the Hessians had made it into the knockout phase in their first appearance in the premier class. If Eintracht wants to play with the greats of Europe again in the coming season, they have to shake off the defeat quickly. On Sunday (3.30 p.m.) Union Berlin will face a direct competitor in the fight for the Champions League places.
SSC Napoli – Eintracht Frankfurt 3: 0 (1: 0)
Naples: Meret – di Lorenzo, Rrahamani, Kim (Jesus 66), Rui – Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski (Ndombele 74) – Politano (Lozano 66), Osimhen (Simeone 81), Kvaratskhelia (Elmas 74)
Frankfurt: Trapp – Tuta, Ndicka, Lenz (66th Max), Buta – Rode (74th, Jakic), Sow, Kamada, Knauff (62nd Alidou), Götze – Borre
Gates: 1-0 Osimhen (45′), 2-0 Osimhen (53′), 3-0 Zielinski (64′ penalty)
Yellow card: Jesus / N’Dicka, Lenz, Götze
Referee: Taylor (England)
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