Request to move to Naples rejected
©IMAGO
The most goals conceded by all Bundesliga teams, and only kept a clean sheet in one of nine games this season: Eintracht Frankfurt’s blatant defensive weakness is a thorn in the side of coach Dino Toppmöller. The 44-year-old explained before the 7th matchday at SC Freiburg on Sunday (3:30 p.m./DAZN) that the topic of “mentality in defense” was discussed during the international match window. And you have to try to get “more sharpness” into the duels. The hope rests primarily on a returnee.
Because right-back Rasmus Kristensen is about to make his comeback in Freiburg after recovering from a muscle injury. “He is a candidate for the starting eleven,” emphasized Toppmöller. Kristensen is considered a mentality monster. The Eintracht coach explained that he was someone who could infect his teammates on the field with his intensity. It’s not just Toppmöller who is looking forward to Kristensen’s return.
The 28-year-old Dane could again form a duo on the right against Freiburg with Ritsu Doan (27), with whom Kristensen harmonized brilliantly before the muscle injury. “I think that Rits is very happy about Rasmus’ return,” said Toppmöller. Doan and Kristensen are “technically good players” and “very smart,” emphasized the SGE coach. “I think the two of them found each other relatively quickly during the preparation.”
Eintracht Frankfurt only played to zero against a fifth division team
The Eintracht defense around defense chief Robin Koch (29), which recently seemed completely overwhelmed, must quickly find its way again. Only in the 5-0 win at the start of the first round of the DFB Cup against fifth division team FV Engers 07 did Frankfurt keep a clean sheet. The result: The Hessians are only mediocre in the Bundesliga. Nobody talks about the offensive magic of the first weeks of the season anymore.
“It’s up to us to get ourselves in the shape and position to increase the chance of winning a game as a team and as a group. It doesn’t help to concede too many unnecessary goals or to fall behind early on. Because that’s too difficult at the level at which we play to make up for these goals every time,” explained sports director Timmo Hardung in a recent club interview.
The 35-year-old said that the team had to be “more grippy and greedy” in some respects. “It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the tactics, but rather with the approach. The opponent has won too many of the 50:50 duels recently.” However, Eintracht also has to deal with the additional burden of the Champions League. “We have to rotate in the coming weeks, there are only two recovery days between games. We have to make good decisions and we all have to be in close communication,” said Toppmöller. Nevertheless, he is looking forward to “really great football weeks ahead of us.”
UEFA rejects Eintracht Frankfurt’s request for a transfer against Napoli
However, this anticipation is somewhat dampened by the stadium ban in Naples. UEFA has rejected a request from Eintracht Frankfurt to move the explosive Champions League game to a neutral location. “The game on November 4th will therefore take place as planned in Naples and without Eintracht fans,” said the SGE. The sale of tickets to fans living in Frankfurt was banned by the responsible prefecture a few weeks ago.
At the beginning of October, Eintracht then submitted an application to UEFA to move the game to a neutral location or to take place behind closed doors, citing security and organizational deficiencies at the Naples location – without success. The Frankfurt team repeatedly expressed their lack of understanding of the decision not to allow visiting fans.
“The completely different ways in which the participating countries and national associations deal with high-risk games at their respective locations has now become a real problem for European fan culture and the integrity of European club competitions,” explained board member Philipp Reschke. It cannot be the case that the away fans are treated completely differently despite the “identical situation and danger”.
According to Naples prefect Michele di Bari, the measure to exclude Eintracht fans was taken on the basis of the opinion of the police headquarters and in accordance with the decisions of the provincial committee for public order and security. It can be assumed that special security measures will have to be taken due to the rivalry between the two fan camps, it was said.
During the first leg of the round of 16 in the premier class in March 2023 (0-2), there were serious riots between the fan camps in Frankfurt. For the second leg (0:3), the Interior Ministry initially denied all supporters from Germany access to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. After an urgent application by Eintracht in court was successful and the ban was declared invalid, the prefecture of the city on Vesuvius issued a ban on the sale of supporters from Frankfurt. Because of the uncertain situation, the SGE ultimately gave up its away quota of tickets. Nevertheless, there were violent clashes between Eintracht ultras, Napoli supporters and police officers in the southern Italian city.