West Ham could hurt concord
It remains to be seen how much fun the game will actually be with the “Hammers” in East London. From a purely atmospheric point of view, the Frankfurters in the Olympic Stadium – different from Barcelona – Prepare for a real away game. More than the officially approved 3,000 Eintracht fans will not be in the stands this time. From a purely sporting point of view, the physical English cannot be compared to their previous opponents from Barcelona and Seville.
While the two Spanish teams like to have the ball, play the game themselves and offer Eintracht plenty of space for quick counterattacks, West Ham is unlikely to have that. The reason: The Premier League seventh follows a similar plan to Eintracht and does what the Hessians do not like: stand compactly on the defensive, then rely on the counterattack. An uncomfortable and disgusting way of playing.
Sow is back
“They play with a lot of long balls and crosses – we have to be prepared for that,” warned midfield strategist Sow, who reported fit after surviving the inner ligament stretch. “I’m still in pain, but adrenaline is the best painkiller.”
The Swiss will not have any other choice anyway. With Kristijan Jakic missing the first clash with West Ham due to a yellow card suspension, Sow is set on the double six alongside captain Sebastian Rode. In the back three, Almamy Touré will probably start again for Evan N’Dicka, who is also suspended.
Coach Moyes protects top performers
What also speaks for a difficult away trip is that the Londoners will take unity and competition seriously from the first minute. Unlike Barca, who underestimated Eintracht in both games and saw the Europa League as just a chore, West Ham are dying to reach the final. You could marvel at how great this desire is on Sunday when “Hammers” coach David Moyes rested six top performers in the derby against Chelsea.
Although West Ham are still in contention for a place in international business in the league, the 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge left most of their leading players on the bench. Superstar Declan Rice, who is currently being traded by several top clubs and reportedly could cost up to 180 million euros in the summer, was allowed to participate for half an hour. Top scorer Jarrod Bowen came on as a substitute in the 73rd minute, while center forward Michail Antonio was allowed to rest completely. Clear sign: For West Ham, only harmony counts.
The big goal: Seville
In the final phase of the season, the Hessians have to bundle all their strengths again and surpass themselves in London without the very big help of the fans. There must be no tiredness or heavy legs. “Now it’s time to get over the pain,” said Coach Glasner. Captain Rode, who probably knows more about pain than anyone else, added: “Our journey shouldn’t be over yet. We want to go to Seville.”
Source: HR