In the first Champions League round of 16 in its history, Eintracht Frankfurt is shown its limits. The SSC Naples consistently punishes small mistakes and benefits from a dismissal against the SGE. The leaders of the Italian league go into the second leg with a clear lead.
Tuition paid, lost the top star: Eintracht Frankfurt experienced a very bitter evening in the first part of the matriculation test against Diego Maradona’s heirs. Coach Oliver Glasner’s bravely fighting team missed a surprise against the ripped-off “anti-Italian” team at SSC Napoli with a 2-0 (0-1), and after the round of 16 first leg of the premier class they only have a slim chance of progressing – and have to in the second duel without the suspended Randal Kolo Muani. “We tried everything. The course of the game was very unfavorable for us, even with the red card. Then we were behind and outnumbered,” said Mario Götze on Prime Video.
SGE goalkeeper Kevin Trapp parried a penalty kick from Georgia’s new discovery Chwitscha Kvarazchelia (36th), called “Kwaradona” after Maradona. Naples’ goalkeeper Victor Osimhen (40th) struck ice cold in Frankfurt’s cauldron, Giovanni Di Lorenzo (65th) followed up for the superior guests. Kwarazchelia served his captain with a hoe, who shot in unstoppable for Trapp.
To make matters worse, Kolo Muani (58th, gross foul), who has been outstanding for weeks, received a red card – a tough but justifiable decision by the referee. On March 15th at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, the Hessians have to hope for a small sensation for the dream of the Champions League quarter-finals.
“Hot like Frittenfett” wasn’t the only thing Glasner’s team had started into the club’s first premier round of 16, it was breathtakingly loud in the stands before one of the biggest games in Eintracht’s recent history long before kick-off. The only flaw: according to the police, there were attacks on Italian fans on Monday, and nine people from the SGE fan camp were briefly taken into custody. In the stadium, on the other hand, the Eintracht fans once again created goose bumps. The game started with a spectacular pyro show in the stands and Frankfurt fireworks on the pitch: Kolo Muani (5th) opened up a very strong early phase for the Hessians with an early first goal.
Glasner’s eleven repeatedly squeezed the Italians, who dominate the domestic league with a 15-point lead and will most likely secure the third Scudetto, in front of the penalty area, sometimes the favorite staggered. The only thing the Adlerträger didn’t collect was the reward for a dedicated performance. There was initially nothing to be seen at Napoli of the “anti-Italian” style of play, as Glasner had described it, with high intensity, crisp duels and speed attacks. Only when Hirving Lozano (34th) hit the post and Aurelio Buta caused the penalty kick against Osimhen did the guests wake up – and how.
Kwarazchelia forgave under deafening whistles against the well-reacting Trapp. Ex-Wolfsburg Osimhen, meanwhile one of the most sought-after attackers in Europe, pushed in easily after a spotless counterattack as a result of a bad pass from Mario Götze. And if the Nigerian hadn’t been caught offside two minutes later, Eintracht would have been well behind. It’s hard to believe that Osimhen flopped at VfL Wolfsburg between 2017 and 2018 and didn’t score a goal back then. In the meantime, its market value has skyrocketed into the three-digit million range. Frankfurt saved itself during the break.
The momentum from the early minutes had long since fizzled out, Eintracht fought back as best they could, but kept getting problems from everything Glasner had warned about. Trapp kept his team in the game against Lozano (55th) and Kwarazchelia (56th). To make matters worse, Kolo Muani stepped on his opponent Andre Zambo Anguissa’s ankle at full speed and was thrown off the pitch.
With the Hessians there was little going forward, and it was also quieter in the stadium. Probably also because Di Lorenzo extended the lead of Luciano Spalletti’s team after a fantastic combination.
