Eintracht Frankfurt loses in Munich – and still wins: Because the pursuers Freiburg, Augsburg and Hoffenheim make mistakes. Coach Toppmöller speaks of the “big goal”.
Despite the defeat in Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt felt like a winner on matchday 31 in the Bundesliga. In the fight for a place in the European Cup, the sixth-place team benefited from the simultaneous home defeats of their pursuers SC Freiburg and FC Augsburg.
“The situation has actually improved,” said coach Dino Toppmöller after the 2-1 defeat against FC Bayern. Because there are now only three match days left. Frankfurt’s lead (45 points) over Freiburg (40), Augsburg (39) and also TSG Hoffenheim (39) remained constant. Freiburg lost 1:2 against VfL Wolfsburg, Augsburg lost 0:3 against SV Werder Bremen. And Hoffenheim had already opened the fourth-to-last Bundesliga matchday with a 2-3 win in Bochum on Friday evening.
“We want to take another step on the next match day against Bayer Leverkusen towards our big goal of defending our place,” announced Toppmöller. Despite the defeat, there were “a lot of positive things” to take from the 90 minutes in Munich for the final push for participation in the European Cup, said the 43-year-old.
Eintracht’s sports director Markus Krösche warned that in the fight for international business, they should concentrate entirely on their own remaining program against Leverkusen, in Mönchengladbach and at the end of the season against RB Leipzig. “I just don’t bother with the other (clubs). Because that’s not my job. My job is that we play football, that we’re successful. I can’t influence the others anyway.”
Ekitiké scores again and has to go out injured
Toppmöller meanwhile praised striker Hugo Ekitiké, who scored again in Munich, as he had done a week earlier in the home win against Augsburg. “It was a great performance from him.” Unfortunately, he had to replace the Frenchman midway through the second half after a blow to his thigh. “We lost quality.”
Source: Stern
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