Football – Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League: endangered magic

Emotions in abundance are announced. When Eintracht Frankfurt starts the Champions League against Galatasaray Istanbul on Thursday evening, great emotional cinema is guaranteed because of the many guest fans. Before kick -off, the Hesse will honor their identification figure Kevin Trapp, who said goodbye to Paris in summer. 383 competitive games in the sign of the eagle are to be honored. The goalkeeper was finally a formative figure of many magical nights who culminated in the Europa League triumph in Sevilla in 2022.

European cup games are always special for the club, but the density of top games has never been greater than now in the premier class. The BundesligaDe has caught the hardest exams in this calendar year: Away Atletico Madrid, SSC Naples and FC Barcelona, ​​plus home games against FC Liverpool and Atalanta Bergamo.

More Champions League does not work

Sports Manager Markus Krösche did not want to formulate a clear requirement for progress: “We want to play a good season, measure ourselves with the best in Europe, get good performance and our football – then we will see how many points it is enough for the club,” only chances, no risks “. At the last participation in 20222/2023, the eagle bearers had reached the round of 16, where Italy’s champions Naples clearly showed them.

“We wanted Champions League, we got Champions League – we look forward to it,” summarized the smart maker. It was only in January 2026 to Qarabag Agdam and on the last matchday against Tottenham Hotspur. Eintracht failed in the Europa League quarter-finals in the spring of the Londoners.

At that time, goalkeeping hopes of Kaua Santos indulged in a risky penalty and tore the cruciate ligament, so that the Trapp successor Michael Zetterer brought from Bremen now gives his champions League debut. “My career was not the classic way. There were a few dents in it, «says the 30-year-old. That is why he is “all the more grateful” to experience such a highlight: “At club level it is the greatest thing you can achieve.”

And where can the level of development of this promising squad be asked better than on the stage of the best? This shows how far young people like Can Uzun, Namdi Collins or Nathaniel Brown in their development, how enforced the newcomers Ritsu Doan and Jonathan Burkardt are. Hugo Ekitiké, which was sweetened by 88 million euros, has torn a gap in the attack, because the nasty Franzose was often able to make the difference with his finesse.

Probably only limited home advantage

The first test stone comes with plenty of prominence. The 25-time Turkish champion and current leaders and current leaders have committed the previously loaned striker Victor Osimhen from Naples for the Turkish record amount of 75 million euros, including Leroy Sané from FC Bayern and also resigned from Manchester City on the last minute. The 34-year-old is said to be the new head of the yellow-red. “Our goal is to make the Galatasaray Istanbul brand again socially acceptable,” said President Dursun Özbek as a motto. Now it attracts gala supporters from all over Germany to the main metropolis, where a fan march is even organized by the guest.

Four -digit prices in ticket forums are called and paid. So many Turkish -born citizens want to be there at the guest appearance in the heart of Europe that a challenge in the stands also announces themselves. Eintracht board member Philipp Reschke said: »A duel with such a demand attracts a lot of fraudsters. We have to expressly warn against buying cards on the black market. ”In addition, there is a great concern that the home advantage of Eintracht does not come into play on this European Cup evening – and that the usual magic in the red illuminated forest stadium is at risk. Trapp separation or not.