EIt was an unequal duel. The balance of power in the stands, reflected in the volume cheered on as the two teams battled for the gold trophy, left a distinct advantage for the from the moment the gates to the stands opened and steadily filled recognize the Frankfurt side. Actually, they should only have stayed in the east curve, but they spread far beyond that. From every nook and cranny of the sold-out Berlin Olympic Stadium, the Eintracht supporters constantly set the tone in this final, hoping to be able to contribute from outside to ensure that the sixth cup win in the club’s history would be something. Nothing came of it, however: The Hessians lost 2-0 to RB Leipzig on Saturday evening. The Red Bulls successfully defended their title.
“At the moment you’re a bit overwhelmed,” said sports director Max Eberl afterwards on Sky: “I’m someone who celebrates rather quietly, but I enjoy it very much. I’ll let myself drift tonight.” Special praise for goal scorer and preparer Christopher Nkunku, however, Eberl didn’t want to utter: “In the end, the one who scores the goals always decides. But the whole team worked hard.” When asked whether the French international would move to Chelsea in the summer as expected, the manager replied with a smile: “It could be.”
Frankfurt’s Sebastian Rode, on the other hand, was visibly upset: “In a final like this, it’s the little things and a bit of luck that count.” The disappointment of Eintracht coach Oliver Glasner was limited: “If we can act on an equal footing with Leipzig, that’s an honor for me Team. That is why pride prevails.”
About 40,000 Eintracht fans in Berlin
There may have been around 40,000 fans of Hessen in Berlin, twice as many as the club was entitled to according to the official contingent of the German Football Association (DFB) for the 74,000-seat round. According to the association, a total of 184,000 ticket inquiries had been received, which meant a new record for this event. The fact that they find ways and means to get tickets has now been sufficiently documented by the followers of Eintracht on many occasions, and a special dress code had been issued for the trip to the capital: everyone should appear in dark shirts and jerseys – on that the people of Leipzig see black in the truest sense of the word.
The fact that the plan didn’t work was due to the careful way in which the people of Leipzig defended their territory against invaders. In any case, at times there was a home game atmosphere in Frankfurt, and the encouragement they received from the visitors’ seats boosted the self-confidence of coach Oliver Glasner’s team, who immediately got down to work. However, the Saxons met the challenging conditions and the zeal of the opponent with the coolness of a team that knows that they have special strengths.
Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner had to miss the cup…
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Image: EPA
An unsuccessful throw-in by Aurelio Buta developed the first opportunity for Leipzig, who quickly passed the ball through the advanced Frankfurt midfield. But they didn’t play the counterattack consistently, so that Kevin Trapp was able to position himself appropriately to take Timo Werner’s shot with his hands (4th). At the other end, after a free-kick from Philip Max, who was preferred as left-back to Christopher Lenz, Tuta put the ball past the rushing RB keeper Janis Blaswich to the right of the post (7′).
