Rafael Borré regular player? That was the case when fellow striker Randal Kolo Muani hadn’t gone hunting for goals for Eintracht – last season. This season, the man who converted the decisive penalty in the Europa League final against Glasgow Rangers has mostly watched the activities of the Frankfurt playmates, initially from the bench.
Not anymore. At least this Saturday, when VfB Stuttgart, which is still fighting relegation, presents itself in the Frankfurt Arena, which is sold out with 50,000 visitors (3.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky), Borré will be in the starting XI. And also on Wednesday (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and on DAZN), when the second leg in the Champions League takes place in Naples without Eintracht-Frans, the Colombian will be one of the eleven chosen.
Coach Oliver Glasner decided early on who should replace the attacking Dane instead of Jesper Lindström, who was out for several weeks due to an ankle injury. “Borré has more than earned it,” said the Frankfurt soccer coach on Thursday about the logical nomination of the South American. “He’s always fully motivated, always good for a goal – and always at the service of the team,” Glasner praised his 27-year-old attacker.
Borré’s qualities
In the past Bundesliga season, when Borré was the first choice almost throughout, he scored eight goals and contributed six assists. This season, in which one of Sevilla’s ‘heroes’ has only started three times and has made 18 short appearances, has two goals in his personal stats.
“Rafa will do a great job,” said Glasner two days before the competition with the Swabians. The fact that Lindström is out “is bitter for him and bitter for us,” said the coach. On the other hand, Glasner was anxious to highlight Borré’s qualities and differences from Lindstrom. “He’s more of a striker than Jesper. He has more killer instincts in the penalty area.”
A test: most recently, Rafael Borré was mostly the second choice – against Stuttgart the striker can play his way to the fore again.
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Image: Huebner
Against VfB, special abilities and skills in scoring goals could be helpful. Because Glasner spoke with respect of the Stuttgarters when looking at the upcoming point game task – in other words, as the coach actually always does with the respective opponent. Glasner praised a large number of VfB players and was generally very pleased with “speed, tempo, robustness and footballing quality”.
In short: The current 15th place in the table with only 19 points does not reflect the true capabilities of the Stuttgart team. Incidentally, Glasner’s colleague Bruno Labbadia thinks so too, of course. The South Hessian, who has held the coaching position at VfB for the second time, spoke strongly to his team before the encounter with Eintracht. “I continue to speak well to the team, both in individual and group discussions. I learned in this job. If things don’t go that way, you have to reset immediately and always think in terms of solutions.”
No headache
Making plans to find solutions: everyone in the Bundesliga does that – and so does Glasner, of course. The 48-year-old coach could already be racking his brains about how, without the suspended Randal Kolo Muani and the injured Lindstrom, he can do the seemingly impossible and still reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League with his team.
But he doesn’t do it. “The game is still far away. We’re only thinking about Stuttgart.” The coach isn’t currently thinking about worrying about his future either. The fact that the club has made him a new contract offer with a long-term perspective flatters and honors him.
“I see it as recognition for our work in the entire coaching team,” said Glasner. The trainer does not see the need to deal with the offer immediately. “I’m not under a lot of pressure. The focus is now on sports,” said the coach, who is still under contract until mid-2024. “We might have a few conversations during the international break.”
“We canceled it”
There will be no talks with club representatives from Naples in the coming week. Eintracht was also informed in writing on Thursday that Frankfurt fans are not welcome and not allowed in the Champions League game on Mount Vesuvius. “Everything we said on Tuesday still applies,” said board member Philipp Reschke in the professional camp. “The subjunctive has become the indicative.”
Those responsible received the corresponding notification from the Prefecture of Naples, comparable to the Frankfurt police headquarters. Regarding the game “there will be no communication between Eintracht Frankfurt and SSC Napoli,” said Reschke. No delegation trip, as is usual with away games in European football. And that means no lunch the night before. “We canceled it. There’s no reason to go there other than work.”
Reschke will fly to Naples “just in case”, as will Markus Krösche, the sports director. The temporary injunction that Reschke and Eintracht want to issue in cooperation with their commissioned lawyers “in the fast track” is already being prepared. Thereafter, a main trial is sought. A result on the legality of the spectator exclusion of Frankfurt fans is expected in two to three years.
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