Dhe victory in Seville still keeps Eintracht busy. Two days after their success in the Europa League final against Glasgow Rangers and a day after tens of thousands marched through the city in triumph, UEFA announced two awards that are an additional tribute to the great achievement.
Filip Kostic was named “Europa League Player of the Season”. The choice was made by UEFA’s so-called “Panel of Technical Observers”. The 29-year-old impressed throughout the competition with his willingness to run and his goal threat. His cross for Rafael Borré’s equalizer in the final against Glasgow Rangers was his sixth assist overall.
He scored twice in the Camp Nou coup (3-2); the Serb called his gala in Barcelona in April “the best game of my career”. Ansgar Knauff was named Young Player of the Year. The 20-year-old midfielder didn’t miss a minute in the knockout rounds, striking as a goalscorer against Barça and West Ham.
Axel Hellmann, the board spokesman, described reaching the premier class as the beginning of a new era for Eintracht. Reaching the Champions League for the first time is a great opportunity to permanently bring the club closer to the top teams in the industry.
The lucrative competition is “the crown of European football,” said Hellmann on the fringes of the reception in the Römer. “Playing there is an honor, something very special.” Hellmann also responded to speculations that the club was now aiming for the championship. “I’ve always dreamed of the German championship title in my life,” he said, adding: “But I’ve dreamed of many things that are unattainable for me. I always wanted to go to the moon.”
Despite the push into the premium segment of continental football, the Hessians want to stick to the “philosophy of economic reason”. It was possible to “give back the romance to German and European football, that you can move borders. What it takes is spirit,” emphasized Hellmann – and received support from coach Oliver Glasner: “You can spend a lot of money or you can win titles if you form a very large unit,” said the Austrian.
