VfL wants to “further up”
Before the home game against his ex-club Eintracht Frankfurt, coach Niko Kovac from VfL Wolfsburg declared defending seventh place as the goal of the season. “At the moment, that’s the maximum we can achieve because the other teams are very close to us and the front teams are relatively far away,” said the 51-year-old on Friday at the press conference before the reunion (Sunday, March 17). :30 p.m./DAZN).
The Frankfurters are currently in sixth place with five points ahead of the “Wolves”. If one of the top six in the table wins the DFB Cup, this placement is enough for participation in the Europa League at the end of the season. The seventh in the table would then qualify for the comparatively less attractive Conference League.
Since the promotion to the Bundesliga: All Wolfsburg coaches with a record
Niko Kovac – 25 competitive games – 1.56 points per game
© imago images
In office since July 1, 2022
Florian Kohfeldt – 28 competitive games – 1.14 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: October 26, 2021 to May 15, 2022
Mark van Bommel – 13 competitive games – 1.15 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: July 1, 2021 to October 24, 2021
Oliver Glasner – 87 competitive games – 1.67 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021
Bruno Labbadia – 50 competitive games – 1.52 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: February 20, 2018 to June 30, 2019
Martin Schmidt – 22 competitive games – 1.18 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: September 18, 2017 to February 19, 2018
Andries Jonker – 19 competitive games – 1.47 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: February 27, 2017 to September 18, 2017
Valérien Ismaël – 17 competitive games – 1.12 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: October 17, 2016 to November 5, 2016
Dieter Hecking – 165 competitive games – 1.75 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: January 1, 2013 to October 17, 2016
Lorenz-Günther Köstner – 11 competitive games – 1.82 points per game
© imago images
Interim coach from October 25th, 2012 to December 31st, 2012 (previously already in 2010 with 21 games, 1.62 points on average)
Felix Magath – 52 competitive games – 1.23 points per game
© imago images
Second term: 03/18/2011 to 10/25/2012
Pierre Litbarski – 5 competitive games – 0.60 points per game
© imago images
Interim coach from 02/07/2011 to 03/18/2011
Steve McClaren – 24 competitive games – 1.21 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: July 1, 2010 to February 7, 2011
Armin Veh – 27 competitive games – 1.26 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: July 1, 2009 to January 25, 2010
Felix Magath – 85 competitive games – 1.86 points per game
© imago images
First of two terms of office from 06/15/2007 to 06/30/2009
Klaus Augenthaler – 56 competitive games – 1.16 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: December 29, 2005 to May 19, 2007
Holger Fach – 25 competitive games – 1.28 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: July 1, 2005 to December 19, 2005
Eric Gerets – 44 competitive games – 1.34 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: April 4, 2004 to May 28, 2005
Jürgen Röber – 48 competitive games – 1.42 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: 03/04/2003 to 04/04/2004
Wolfgang Wolf – 195 competitive games – 1.45 points per game
© imago images
Term of office: March 23, 1998 to March 4, 2003 (took over in Wolfsburg’s first Bundesliga season on matchday 28 from promotion coach Willi Reimann)
One could “discuss whether the Conference League is interesting or less interesting,” said Kovac. However, he believes that every international game is important for the development of a team. “They are different in terms of atmosphere and intensity. You have to act differently than in the Bundesliga,” explained the VfL coach. However, with a view to the Europa League and Champions League places, he also said: “If we still have a chance to get close, then we’ll do it.”
VfL Wolfsburg’s coach Kovac is looking towards Eintracht Frankfurt’s path to success
In the long term, Kovac is pursuing similar goals in Wolfsburg as in his time at Eintracht Frankfurt. “I hope that we will be as successful here as Eintracht has been in recent years,” he said. Kovac had saved the SGE from relegation in 2016 and in the years that followed led him into secure midfield, in 2018 his time on the Main ended with the DFB Cup victory and the first Eintracht title after 30 years.
Since then, the “eagles” have always been fighting for international business and caused a sensation in Europe: the Europa League semi-finals in 2018/19 were followed by winning the title in 2022 and entering the Champions League round of 16 in the current season. “Please don’t get me wrong: We don’t have to win the Europa League and the Champions League now. But we want to keep going up,” said VfL coach Kovac. The “Wolves”, who had previously been represented internationally three times in a row, clearly missed out on the European Cup last season with twelfth place.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s fan choreos in the Europa League
04.10.2018: 4-1 against Lazio Roma
© imago images
With the choreo against Lazio, Frankfurt fans remembered their first international title: Eintracht won the UEFA Cup in 1980.
25.10.2018: 2-0 against Limassol
© imago images
In the next home game, the SBU received Apollon Limassol from Cyprus. Conclusion: Third win in the third game after Marseille had already been defeated away in a ghost game at the beginning.
29.11.2018: 4-0 against Ol. Marseille
© imago images
The fans welcome their team with pyro and confetti. Spurred on, Marseille is shot out of the stadium 4-0.
21.02.2019: 4-1 against Shakhtar Donetsk
© imago images
It should have been a breathtaking choreo again… But due to arguments with the local police, the choreo was called off by the Eintracht fans at short notice.
07.03.2019: 0-0 against Inter Milan
© imago images
“Glory times, sad days – we stand by unity without question.” While Eintracht couldn’t get more than 0-0 in the first leg against Inter…
07.03.2019: 0-0 against Inter Milan
© imago images
… Frankfurt won the second leg in Milan and deservedly made it into the quarter-finals.
04/18/2019: 2-0 against Benfica Lisbon
© imago images
“Unity from the Main in the heart of Europe.” In fact, the team has now won the hearts of fans from all over the world.
04/18/2019: 2-0 against Benfica Lisbon
© imago images
Not to mention the fans… It’s unbelievable what choreographies the SGE supporters unpacked at every home game.
05/02/2019: 1-1 against Chelsea
© imago images
“Give everything for the final …”, that’s what not only the fans, but also visibly the SBU pros took on against Chelsea.
05/02/2019: 1-1 against Chelsea
© imago images
In the first leg of the semifinals, both teams drew 1-1. At Stamford Bridge, the eventual title winners from London only won on penalties.
01.08.2019: 2-1 v Flora Tallinn
© imago images
In the 2019/20 season things didn’t quite go that far in terms of sport. But the fans immediately caused a stir – starting in the qualifying round against Tallinn…
08/15/2019: 1-0 against Vaduz
© imago images
… and against Vaduz …
19.09.2019: 0: 3 against Arsenal
© imago images
…then against Arsenal in the group stage…
24/10/2019: 2-1 against Standard Liège
© imago images
… and against the Belgian guest from Liege. Then Corona put an end to the hustle and bustle in the Frankfurt stadium for the time being.
04/07/2022: 1-1 against FC Barcelona
© imago images
In the 2021/22 quarter-final first leg, all seats in Deutsche Bank Park are occupied for the first time since the pandemic began. The Eintracht fans dedicate the choreo to the late club legend Jürgen Grabowski. In the second leg at the Camp Nou, which was won 3-2, 30,000 came from Frankfurt and thus plunged the Catalans into a short club crisis.
05/05/2022: 1-0 v West Ham
© imago images
After the 2-1 away win in London, Eintracht won’t be denied a place in the final, even in front of their home crowd. The choreo is all about the north-west curve on which the fans are standing.
18.05.2022: 6: 5 nE against Glasgow Rangers
© imago images
“Holy Diva from the Main – Pray for us” was what the fans said before the game with this goose bumps choreography. The requests were heard: Eintracht is the European Cup winner for the first time since 1980.
To home page
ttn-38