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Kevin Trapp is defeated: David Alaba's 0-1 lead to Frankfurt's second defeat in six days
Photo: Arne Dedert / dpa
Turning point on the rails:
Can four years be called an era?
You have to do that with Filip Kostić: While the Serb sprinted up and down the flank of Frankfurt, the club only stormed into the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2019, only to hold the trophy in their hands three years later.
The next step, the Champions League, will take place without Kostić: The European Cup hero from the left rail was already missing against Real Madrid in the Supercup, he is about to move to Juventus.
Kostić did not personally accept his coronation, the award for the best Europa League player of the previous season.
"Then I realize how messed up business is at the end of the day," said Eintracht President Peter Fischer with a deep sigh.
The result:
It was 0:2 (0:1) in Helsinki against Real Madrid, which is also worth a deep sigh from the SBU point of view.
Read the game announcement here.
Thanks to the rest:
Aside from Kostić, who Christopher Lenz replaced inconspicuously, Oliver Glasner brought exactly the eleven that had won the first European title since 1980 against Glasgow Rangers in Seville in May.
"Because the boys have done something extraordinary for Eintracht," Glasner revealed that he wanted to reward them with this game - and thus also explained why he decided not to make the prominent purchases of Mario Götze and Randal Kolo Muani.
15 minutes retro Eintracht:
And indeed: At first it seemed as if Eintracht were simply playing the next game of the last European Cup season here.
Snappy, grippy against the big favorites from Madrid, with no-frills, technically fine passes into the depths.
Ansgar Knauff coaxed the ball from Ferland Mendy on the right wing, final hero Rafael Borré sent the ball on its way with his outside instep, Daichi Kamada appeared alone in front of Thibaut Courtois (14th minute).
If Real's goalkeeper didn't listen to the name Thibaut Courtois, Frankfurt would have taken the lead.
Winning out of habit:
Annoying from the SGE point of view that Carlo Ancelotti's Madrilenians simply started where the Champions League winner had left off in the previous season: Real didn't fire from all cylinders from the start, but had world-class man Courtois, almost always the Game control and the necessary efficiency in front of goal.
Vinícius Júnior's attempt was heroically cleared by Tuta in front of the line (17'), when Casemiro headed a Kroos corner across again and David Alaba only had to push in, then Kevin Trapp was also beaten in the Eintracht goal (38').
Real wouldn't be real if this lead wasn't already synonymous with the preliminary decision.
Better than Raúl:
Unlike the 1: 6 swatter at the Bundesliga opener against FC Bayern Munich, Eintracht did not manage to reconcile in the second half this time.
Real's veterans didn't whirl with as much enthusiasm as Bayern, but the vise that had become a football club had the game completely under control.
Where Manuel Neuer made a funny mistake, the Real pros continued to make it 2-0.
Vini Júnior failed at Trapp (55th), Casemiro on the crossbar (61st), Karim Benzema finally decided the game (64th).
The Frenchman overtook a club legend: Benzema has now scored more competitive goals (324) for the royals than Raúl (323), only Cristiano Ronaldo (450) is still enthroned far beyond the competition.
Toni's worries:
RTL reporter Florian König was lucky: the course of the game offered little reason to make critical comments about real performance.
And so the interview with Toni Kroos after the game turned into a harmonious undertaking, unlike after the Champions League victory, when the 2014 world champion broke off the conversation with ZDF man Nils Kaben annoyed.
Kroos was allowed to talk about the man-catcher Ancelotti (“extremely important to take the whole team with you”), about the five other title chances for Real (“We won’t give away any competition, but winning six titles is not easy”).
And about Frankfurt Eintracht – and now Kroos sounded almost worried: "I think Kostić's departure is very serious," said Kroos.
"For me already the best player of the season."
New faces, new opportunities:
After all, in the second half, newcomers gradually entered the field that could develop into the new Frankfurt key players.
Perhaps the Kostić-Eintracht will be followed by the Götze-Eintracht, a team that not only makes steam on the flanks, but can also decide the game from the center.
Or the Kolo-Muani-Eintracht, driven by a towering and busy snapper in the center of the storm.
The new style that is now necessary can best be observed against opponents who meet Frankfurt at eye level or below.
At Hertha BSC it could be on Saturday (3.30 p.m., TV: Sky).
