New heroes, same virtues | OneFootball

Eintracht got off to a slow start this season but improved towards the end of the year, and now go into 2022 sixth in the Bundesliga and in the Europa League round of 16.

First half of the season summary The Eagles increasingly hit their stride towards the end of the first half of 2021/22, winning six of their last seven games to go into the winter break in sixth place in the league standings.

All change There was considerable personnel upheaval at Eintracht in summer 2021 as Oliver Glasner replaced Adi Hütter as head coach, while board member for sport Fredi Bobic, striker André Silva, who scored 28 Bundesliga goals in 2020/21, and several other staff members all left the club. As if that were not enough, club captain Sebastian Rode sustained an injury in the first competitive game of the season, a 2-0 defeat away to Waldhof Mannheim in the DFB Cup. The start of the Bundesliga campaign also left plenty to be desired, with Eintracht opening with a 5-2 defeat at Borussia Dortmund and a 0-0 draw at home to Augsburg.

First win in Munich The Eagles did not pick up their first Bundesliga win of the season until Matchday 7, with an impressive display in a 2-1 triumph away to Bayern Munich. “We need to be patient with the new players,” Glasner repeatedly stated, aware of the need to give newcomers Kristijan Jakic, Christopher Lenz, Jens Petter Hauge, Rafael Borré and Jesper Lindström, among others, the necessary time to adapt. Europa League success Glasner was proved right. Over the course of the first half of the campaign, the Eagles fought their way back into their groove thanks to the characteristic Eintracht traits of team spirit, intensity, strength and a sprinkling of drama. Glasner’s charges emerged from UEFA Europa League Group D undefeated against Olympiacos, Fenerbahce and Royal Antwerp, and cruised into the last 16 as section winners.

Impressive in the Bundesliga Indeed, Eintracht were unbeaten in all competitions in November as the players grew increasingly familiar with Glasner’s desired style of play. The team picked up impressive results against Olympiacos (2-1), Fürth (2-1), Freiburg (2-0), Royal Antwerp (2-2) and Union Berlin (2-1) thanks to their high pressing and stable defensive unit.

The Eagles had quite the spectacle in store on Bundesliga Matchday 15 when they went 2-0 down against Bayer Leverkusen at Deutsche Bank Park, before roaring back to win 5-2 in dramatic fashion. That was followed by a 3-2 triumph away at Borussia Mönchengladbach and a 1-0 home win over Mainz.

Glasner satisfied Fourteen different players got their names on the scoresheet, with Lindström plundering four goals in the last six outings before the winter break as the team demonstrated their true colours. “I’m really happy,” said Glasner. “All of the players were always there for the team and for Eintracht Frankfurt.”

There’s plenty more to come in 2022!