Eintracht Frankfurt wants to take the Europa League momentum with them unlike last time. Will they succeed in doing so at the bottom of the league?
The Frankfurt travelling party enjoyed the wonderful weather on the Greek coast for as long as possible. On Friday morning, coach Oliver Glasner ordered a relaxed training session in the sunshine and over 20 degrees Celsius, followed by a trip to the sea before the plane took off for home. The good mood and the polished self-confidence after the victory in Piraeus (2:1) should be felt by Greuther Fürth on Sunday evening.
Can Eintracht carry the momentum with them this time? Will the last-minute win in Piraeus bring the decisive boost for the league? “We have to prove it on Sunday,” demands Glasner. Recently, that didn’t work out. A fortnight ago, the 3:1 against Olympiakos Piraeus at home was followed three days later by a sobering 0:2 in Bochum. This time, it’s off to Fürth, bottom of the league, where anything less than a win would be a bitter setback. With a three-goal win, Eintracht are desperate to take their freshly gained self-confidence into the international break and pull away a little from the relegation zone. “We know they have some injury and Corona worries. But they will try to go into the game with high intensity. We have to accept this fight,” Glasner emphasised and said: “We have to take this momentum and joy with us. In Fürth, we have to mobilise all our strength once again.”
Not an easy task given the short time for regeneration and preparation. “One or two players are running on their last legs,” reports the coach. In terms of personnel, he will certainly change his eleven. Martin Hinteregger, who was spared, is likely to return to central defence, while Aymen Barkok and Sam Lammers, who were weak in Piraeus, will rotate to the bench. It is still open whether Filip Kostic (Achilles tendon problems), Ajdin Hrustic (ankle problems) and Erik Durm (stomach bug) will be available. Goncalo Paciencia (thigh injury) and Christopher Lenz (fibre tear) will definitely not return until after the international break.
Caution with Kostic: “He has had the problem for a while “
Caution is advised with Kostic in particular. “He has had the problem with his Achilles tendon for a while. We have to be careful that it doesn’t get worse and chronic,” warns Glasner. A long-term absence of the top performer must be avoided at all costs, especially in view of the tightly scheduled programme before Christmas. “If he were to be out for five weeks, that would be eight games,” Glasner calculates.
It is quite possible that the jokers Jesper Lindström or Jens Petter Hauge, who were successful in Piraeus, will get another chance to start in Fürth. Ragnar Ache might even be an alternative. The 23-year-old did not play in Piraeus because he is not registered for the Europa League. With his physical strength and heading power, he could be the right man to give Fürth a fighting chance. However, Ache has played almost no role under Glasner so far, which is why a nomination for the starting eleven would come as a surprise.
