In terms of results, Eintracht Frankfurt appeared to be on track for 2024. But the performances were often mediocre. Now came the rude awakening.
Dino Toppmöller was really angry. “We always make these simple mistakes. That’s why we’re not a top team yet,” said the Eintracht Frankfurt coach after the 2-0 defeat at 1. FC Cologne with two Frankfurt players being sent off. With a successful start to the second half of the season, the Hessians had worked their way into the Champions League places, but the deserved defeat against the relegation candidate put a sobering stop to their comeback.
“We have to watch our own noses,” said the 43-year-old, who didn’t hold back on criticism. The first half was “very, very thin in terms of football”, the yellow-red card against Niels Nkounkou was “unfortunately stupid”, Hrvoje Smolcic’s mistake before the 0-2 was “inexplicable” and the yellow-red card against Tuta was “inexplicable” was “also justified”. Above all, says Toppmöller, “these constant, easy ball losses annoy me. You can’t win a game like that.”
After the last-minute sale of star striker Randal Kolo Muani, for whom a replacement could not be brought in in the summer, Eintracht had significantly strengthened with four players after an overall decent first season in the winter. But there was hardly any time to play. Star buyer Donny van de Beek sat on the bench for 90 minutes in Cologne, striker Sasa Kalajdzic was completely up in the air, Hugo Ekitiké and Jean-Matteo Bahoya only came into the game late.
Toppmöller has not yet glossed over the good results from 2024. “It was catastrophic against Mainz,” he said, referring to the 1-0 derby win the previous week. His team “just has to present itself differently in terms of football.” And it’s best to start doing that next week.”
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2024-02-04 20:03:08
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