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Eintracht Frankfurt’s tuta: from central defender to defense chief

Et were big footsteps for young Brazilian Tuta to fill last year. The 23-year-old took over from longtime captain David Abraham in Eintracht Frankfurt’s centre-back. But he performed this task confidently. “Tuta has taken the next step in development this season and has become a fixture in our team,” said sporting director Markus Krösche in May when Tuta extended his contract with Eintracht early by three years until the end of June 2026.

Now there is another step for the defender, because he has to accept a great inheritance again. After the end of Martin Hinteregger’s career, Tuta should now take over his position in the center of defense of the back three. And that seems to work too. The man in front of him, Djibril Sow, said on the sidelines of the training camp in Windischgarsten about the potential new defense chief: “So far he’s doing quite well. It’s a position he’s predestined for. We are well positioned for the future.”

Abraham, Hinteregger – Tuta is not intimidated by such big names. When asked if he feels pressure when he thinks about his new job, he prefers to use a different word: tension. “It’s not about being the successor of a player, it’s just about believing in myself, developing my potential and performing at every position,” Tuta describes his approach.

The teacher Hasebe

The new position has a lot to do with responsibility and gaining new experience. He is convinced: “It will only help me in my career if I can now also play in the centre.” In veteran Makoto Hasebe, Tuta has a perfect teacher in the team, whose help he is happy to seek and accept. What can he learn from the Japanese? “For example, when it comes to passes to the top. It always looks so easy with Makoto when he sees the gaps there.”


Head coach Oliver Glasner with his assistants Michael Angerschmid (left) and Ronald Brunmayr (middle)
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Image: dpa

With his contract extension, the Brazilian has made a long-term commitment to Eintracht and the city of Frankfurt. “It has a lot to do with gratitude. Eintracht Frankfurt is a great club that gave me the opportunity to gain a foothold in Europe,” said Tuta, explaining his decision. Although he felt comfortable and well received from the first moment, he does not seem to have warmed to the Hessian traditions.

At the training camp in Austria, the fans who had traveled with them organized a hand cheese breakfast and offered the team specialties from their homeland. Djibril Sow and Almamy Touré were brave, sat down with the fans between the two training sessions and ate hand cheese. Tuta admitted that he had eaten it before, but he didn’t like it that much.

“If you want me to try it, unfortunately I have to cancel,” he apologized at the fan breakfast. The Brazilian didn’t come to Eintracht anyway to eat hand cheese, but to play international football. And soon at the very highest level. You can see the anticipation: “Playing in the Champions League next year with this club that brought me to Europe is something very unique.”

“Filip is with us”

The team in Windischgarsten has been working on the basics for a successful season for three days now. On Tuesday, the pros again completed two training sessions outside on the pitch. Degrees, exploitation of chances, passes to the top, moments of transition, all of that has been the focus so far. On Tuesday afternoon, the first training game took place eleven against eleven on the large playing field. Ansgar Knauff, who was slightly injured recently, was also back in team training.

Filip Kostic is also fully committed. There are persistent rumors about him. If the Serb has thoughts of emigrating, it doesn’t show that. For example, he convinced his teammate Djibril Sow with his appearance in Windischgarsten. The Swiss said on Monday: “We’re all in the mood for this season, you can tell that with everyone. Even with the players, where you think they’d already gone. I don’t have the feeling that there’s anything there.”

Markus Krösche had previously confirmed this: “Everyone has their plans for the future, but nobody gives the impression of wanting to leave us.” You could see in the game on Saturday that he was having fun.

He knows what he has in us and has played a large part in our success over the years. Conversely, we know what we have in him.” The club is in contact with all the players. That applies to Kostic as well as to Daichi Kamada and Evan Ndicka, whose contracts also expire next summer.

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