From EL victory to moody diva
Eintracht Frankfurt is looking for calm after the storm
By Thomas Badke
05/18/2023 1:37 p.m
A year ago, Eintracht Frankfurt wrote German football history: Coach Glasner’s team won the final in the Europa League against Glasgow Rangers – and thus secured the first Champions League participation in the club’s history. A year later, there is sadness on the Main. Or?
May 18, 2022. Just before midnight. The air is on fire in Seville. Hundreds of thousands of football fans populate the Spanish city. Drink. Celebrate. Watch football. All peaceful. Seville is the venue for the 2022 Europa League final. The opponents are Eintracht Frankfurt and Glasgow Rangers. Two traditional football clubs. There is no winner after 90 minutes, not even after 120 minutes. The decision is made in a penalty shootout. Eintracht fans hold their breath as Rafael Borre kicks off. If he scores, Frankfurt can celebrate. Borre starts, shoots – and nets. The rest is history: SBU wins its second international title after winning the UEFA Cup in 1980 – and qualifies for the Champions League. It is the first participation in the premier class for the club.
Now, a year later, the jubilation is gone: Eintracht only has the most successful first half of the season to thank for the fact that it has nothing to do with relegation. Instead of knocking on the premier class doors again, an international season without the SGE threatens. Fourth place in the table after the first half of the season has given way to eighth place two games before the end. The Frankfurt side were only able to end a ten-day series without a win last Saturday with a 3-0 win over table neighbors Mainz. There is sadness on the Main, which was preceded by eventful weeks and months and which are reminiscent of the earlier times of the “moody diva from the Main”.
The moody diva from the Main
There was gossip at the top management level between spokesman Axel Hellmann and chairman of the supervisory board Philip Holzer. Club president Peter Fischer suddenly finds himself involved in a cocaine affair. Sports director Markus Krösche and coach Glasner keep fighting over the transfer policy. The receipt: Glasner has to take his hat off after the end of the season and thus a year before the end of the contract.
And the team? The underperforms. Loses regularly away from home, no longer wins at home. In addition to a lack of luck in the game, it is becoming increasingly noticeable that top performers from the first half of the season are chasing their best. The reasons are on and off the pitch: Mario Götze, for example, seems overplayed, which is probably due to his participation in the unspeakable World Cup in Qatar in winter 2022. Daichi Kamada does the same, does not want to extend his contract, which is due to expire in Frankfurt, and is being shooed away by one transfer rumor after the next: Atlético Madrid should be just as tempting as half the Premier League. At Benfica Lisbon, the interest is more tangible. Nothing has been signed to date – Kamada’s own market value has also fallen dramatically thanks to its disappointing second half of the season.
The same picture at Evan N’Dicka. The young Frenchman and the SGE go their separate ways after five years – that’s how N’Dicka wants it. In the first half of the season, FC Barcelona and PSG were also interested in the fast and powerful central defender, but after the rather flattering second half of the season – also due to injuries – it should “only” go to Italy. So smaller rolls are baked.
And there’s Eintracht’s new superstar, around whom there’s a lot of concern: Randal Kolo-Muani. The 24-year-old striker came from FC Nantes on a free transfer at the start of the season, then traveled to Qatar for the World Cup and then had the winning goal in the final against Argentina. That’s not the only reason why the Frenchman from Paris is hotly traded at the top international clubs. In addition to Bayern Munich and Manchester United, Paris St. Germain is said to be interested in the top scorer in the Bundesliga, who has also scored for Eintracht in the Champions League and in the cup. Kolo Muani’s contract with Frankfurt runs until 2027. Possible transfer fees range between 90 million and 120 million euros. It is still unclear where Kolo Muani will play next season.
More unity is required
On the other hand, it is clear where Kolo Muani will play on June 3rd: in the Berlin Olympic Stadium. With Eintracht, the lightning-fast goalgetter will try to win the German Cup. That would have several positive effects: On the one hand, the SBU would be qualified again for the Europa League, no matter how it did in the Bundesliga, and the fans would be able to tour Europe again. The advantages of any player commitments should not be dismissed out of hand if you play internationally again.
On the other hand, it would be the second title under coach Glasner within two years – and such a reassuring end to a very successful collaboration with the Austrian. Glasner would cement his place in the hearts of the fans. He’s had it for a long time, the memories of May 18, 2022, just before midnight in Seville, are still too fresh.