Ekitiké’s 11 firsts as an Eagle | OneFootball

Hugo Ekitiké feels at home in Frankfurt, and not just because his transfer has been made permanent. His first four months at Eintracht were exciting to say the least, and have left everyone wanting more.

If it had been up to Hugo Ekitiké, the season would barely be finishing around now. “I could play another five matches,” said the winter recruit in the week between Matchdays 33 and 34 back in May. Earlier in the year, though, everything looked very different. Here is a review of our No.11’s first six months with the club, in 11 stages.

First choice second time around

After an attempted signing failed to materialise in the summer, board member for sport Markus Krösche and the rest of the Eintracht management team got the deal with Paris Saint-Germain over the line on winter deadline day to pick up the striker on loan with an option to buy.

First night under lights

As if to prove that the deal had actually gone through, Ekitiké was already in the squad the following evening for the match against 1. FC Köln. He came on for the final quarter of an hour, but was powerless to prevent a 2-0 defeat.

First time he won over the locals

The following week, the speedy 1.90m-tall striker was presented to the public and already knew the right thing to say. When asked about whether he knew much German, Ekitiké gave a big grin and said “Guuudee!”

First steps on the road back to full fitness

“Hugo did not train with the team for four months and for the past four weeks, he hasn’t had any individual training with Paris Saint-Germain either,” said head coach Dino Toppmöller to explain the need to build Ekitiké’s fitness back up.

First time in the starting line-up

The reward for his hard work came at the end of February, when Ekitiké made his full debut for the club at the Deutsche Bank Park against VfL Wolfsburg. He was involved in the action right from the off, setting up Philipp Max for the equaliser to make it 1-1, picking up a yellow card before the break and playing for 75 minutes. The match ended in a 2-2 draw.

First full week of training

The lanky attacker was used as a substitute in the next two matches, with load management being the order of the day. The strategy paid off, with a delighted Toppmöller saying: “Hugo has completed his first full week of training with us and that means that we’ve now got another genuine option up front. When he’s fully fit, we’ll see his quality shine through.”

First absence

Despite his efforts in training, Heki did end up succumbing to muscular problems, but the home game against Bremen in early April was the only one that he would have to sit out.

First goal

Ekitiké’s return to the starting line-up came at just the right time. In a clash with their closest rivals for sixth spot, the Frenchman scored his first goal as an Eagle to give his side a 2-1 over Augsburg, in a match they would end up winning 3-1.

First permanent contract

“Hugo has shown the qualities that he has in his appearances so far. We’re fully convinced of his enormous potential and are looking forward to seeing him in an Eintracht jersey way beyond the current season,” said Krösche after the option to buy was triggered and Ekitiké was given a contract through to 2029.

First tribute to the fans and bucket hat

The striker added another two goals and an assist to his stats, and on Matchday 33, a 1-1 draw away to Mönchengladbach saw Eintracht Frankfurt secure a European spot for the 2024/25 season. Players and fans celebrated together, and Heki – in an Eintracht bucket hat – sang ‘Europa, Europa, Europa!’ over and over again. “My celebrations after the Gladbach match were my way of saying that I felt at home,” he explained afterwards. “I wanted to thank the fans.”

So many more firsts to come…

In the season finale against Leipzig, Ekitiké was the stand-out player once again, halving the 2-0 deficit with a header and helping his team to secure a 2-2 draw, which confirmed the team’s qualification for the UEFA Europa League.

“My aim for the 2024/25 season is to score a load of goals, set up plenty more, help the team as much as possible and bring a trophy to Frankfurt,” he said from his holidays, adding: “I’ve been to France, Spain and Italy and now I’m ending my trip in the USA, where I’ll be preparing for next season.”