Ahead of the first-round finale against Mainz, Eintracht are plagued by a number of personnel worries. But these do nothing to dampen the anticipation for the clash.
The derby between Frankfurt and Mainz is always a special match. But with a view to next Saturday’s clash at Deutsche Bank Park, the omens promise a spectacle that can hardly be surpassed. For one thing, the first-round finale will be a clash between two of the league’s currently strongest teams: both have lost only two of their last eight league games, and the winner will spend the winter in at least sixth place. For another, both are also among the top teams in terms of the calendar year 2021: only four clubs have scored more points in this period than Mainz (57) – along with Bayern, Dortmund and Leipzig, and Eintracht (67). No wonder, then, that SGE coach Oliver Glasner is preparing for a “very, very hot game” and a “really tough test at the end of the first half of the season”.
Clear tendency to Jakic failure
The anticipation for this highlight is palpable around both clubs and also clearly noticeable to the Frankfurt football coach. Despite the growing personnel worries. Attacker Jens Petter Hauge was already absent from Wednesday night’s 3-2 win in Gladbach due to a muscle injury, and now defender Tuta (yellow-red suspension), Christopher Lenz (calf) and probably midfielders Aymen Barkok (knee ligament strain) and Kristijan Jakic (hip contusion) will also be absent. Glasner doesn’t want to “write off” the Croatian stopper, who was substituted after 28 minutes in Gladbach, but the tendency is clearly in that direction.
Hasebe as Tuta replacement – or in midfield after all?
Which presents the coach with quite a complex consideration. On Wednesday, Glasner brought Makoto Hasebe into the three-man defence after Tuta’s dismissal. But now he could also need the veteran in midfield as Jakic’s replacement. Then Stefan Ilsanker or Almamy Touré would be candidates for the back row. The key figure in Glasner’s plans will be captain Sebastian Rode, who coped remarkably well with his 70-minute appearance in Gladbach. The 31-year-old’s damaged knee “hardly reacted”, said Glasner, “but we have to see how he is physically”. In the end, Rode was only scheduled to make short appearances. When asked whether he generally trusted his leading player to play 90 minutes, the coach answered with a smile: “I didn’t even trust him to play 70 minutes. But Sebastian proved me wrong.” Actually, Glasner had reckoned with having to take the substitute Rode off the field at some point. But: “Sebastian is a fighter, an absolute role model.” Which is why the coach, looking ahead to Saturday, oracles: “Maybe he’ll say he’ll go for a half – and then play 90 minutes anyway.” In any case, it would be no wonder that the constellation described above will release additional energy in every single professional on matchday 17.
