There are comeback weeks for the soccer players from Eintracht Frankfurt. Because after Virginia Kirchberger, Camilla Küver is now back on the pitch – just in time for the Champions League qualifiers.
“Millie is back” was emblazoned in large, white letters and provided with two hearts in Laura Freigang’s Instagram story. The Eintracht attacker also shared a photo of Camilla Küver and Anna Aehling from Sunday’s friendly against TSG Hoffenheim. “Millie” Küver celebrated her comeback at 2: 3 – and stood for the first time since her Cruciate ligament rupture in November 2021 back on the pitch with the team. “Mega”, Küver summarized the emotional state after her comeback in the club’s own interview.
She beamed, struggled briefly for words and finally found them. “Experiencing everything again with the team feels – to put it cornily – like coming home.” For Küver it is the end of a long period of suffering, for the team it is in preparation for the Bundesliga season – but above all the mini-tournament to qualify for the Champions League next week – the return of an important player. And Küver is not the only one.
Kirchberger and Pawollek attack again
Because with Captain Tanja Pawollekwho was back on the pitch at the end of last season and wants to attack again in the new season, and Virginia Kirchberger two more top performers are back in the team of coach Niko Arnautis. The coach also had to do without Kirchberger for a long time after breaking her tibia and fibula. The Austrian national player then collected at the beginning of August Test match of the Frankfurt women against Basel first match practice.
“I have to say that for the first time in a long time I was nervous before a game, but I think that’s part of it,” said Kirchberger afterwards. For her, too, the moment was a special one – a ray of hope in the time of suffering. “This is the moment you dream of during the whole rehabilitation period,” revealed Küver. It quickly becomes clear that she wasn’t the only one fighting for this moment: “They were all loud outside.”
Together to success
The cohesion in the team is great, as is the support. “I’m really happy that they can be so happy for me,” said Küver. Coach Arnautis was also happy for her. “At the beginning of the week I talked to Niko about a possible comeback because I’m back in training at 100 percent and I’m feeling good,” said the winger, who had decided herself when she was ready to be back on the pitch .
This is exactly where Küver wants to be “at home” again in the future – she will take the next steps towards this in the training camp with the team. Eintracht went to Grünberg this Tuesday. “In terms of sport, it will be about practicing our processes with and against the ball and focusing,” said Arnautis. “But we will also use the training camp away from football to get together as a team for the first time after the break and to develop a feeling of unity.” It’s certainly good for that, too, that “Millie” is back.
