One point would be enough for Eintracht in the away game against Fenerbahce to defend first place in Group D and move straight into the last 16. But coach Oliver Glasner doesn’t want to play tactics, he wants to play for victory. He will have to do without offensive player Jesper Lindström, who is suffering from a thigh problem.
Frankfurt can even afford a defeat as long as second-placed Olympiakos Piraeus do not win at Royal Antwerp. However, no one at Eintracht wants to be dependent on outside help. Kevin Trapp sets the tone: “We are in a very good starting position, which we have worked hard for. We want to crown that with a win and qualify for the last 16.”
The goalkeeper, like Fenerbahce playmaker Mesut Özil, is already set to make his 30th Europa League appearance. In Alexander Walke (34 appearances) and Marko Marin (31), only two German players have made more than 30 appearances in this competition. Trapp and Özil can equal Shkodran Mustafi (30) for the first time on Thursday evening.
Trapp warns against going into the game thinking that a point is enough, because then “you always run the risk of taking one less step”. Glasner is also aware of that. “We’re not sitting on the plane with a slide rule,” the coach notes and announces: “We’re not going to take a wait-and-see approach and say that one point is enough for us, we’re clearly going to play to win. “
Paciencia or Hauge?
Personnel-wise, the 47-year-old will have to make at least one change after sending the same eleven onto the field four times in a row recently. “Jesper Lindström is not flying to Turkey because he has a bit of a problem with his thigh. However, I think it should be fine by the game against Leverkusen on Sunday. We don’t want to take any risks,” explained Glasner.
He did not reveal how he would react to the absence of the quick-as-an-arrow Dane. A change from a 3-4-3 to a 3-5-2 with Goncalo Paciencia as the second striker next to Rafael Borré and Daichi Kamada behind him on ten would be conceivable. The coach had already successfully used this variant once before in the 3:1 home win against Olympiakos Piraeus. With two goals against Antwerp and Hoffenheim, Paciencia had recently promoted himself as a wild card and recommended himself for a start. Glasner, however, could stick to the 3-4-3 and give Jens Petter Hauge a chance again after a long time.
