27th matchday
Glasner feels provoked: “Easter is a celebration of peace”
Leverkusen’s Ayman Azhil (r) scores against Frankfurt’s goalkeeper Kevin Trapp for a 1-0 lead. photo
© Marius Becker/dpa
It’s been six games since Eintracht Frankfurt had an eleven-point lead over Bayer Leverkusen. But since then, Eintracht has won nothing and Bayer almost everything – and now passed 3-1.
It was probably pure self-protection. But it seemed strange how easily Oliver Glasner felt provoked on this bitter Saturday.
On the Sky microphone, the Eintracht Frankfurt coach disliked the question about former world champion Mario Götze after the 1: 3 (0: 2) at Bayer Leverkusen, who had seen his fifth yellow card for complaining. “You want to provoke me,” said the Austrian. When asked, he only replied: “Happy Easter.” And went.
A few minutes later at the press conference Glasner then interrupted a journalist who asked him a by no means provocative question about the table situation. “I won’t let myself be provoked today. That was the case with television,” he said: “Easter is a celebration of peace. I wish you all a happy Easter with your families.” Then he got up.
Glasner began that statement with the words that he was “still very relaxed”. The fact that he is not exactly that was clearly visible in the 90 minutes beforehand on the sidelines. The coach scolded, yelled, gesticulated. And when the game was blown, he sat motionless on the bench for a while, staring into space.
Rode complains about the lack of consistency in the end of the season
The direct duel in Leverkusen on Saturday brought the opposite development of both teams to the extreme. It’s been a full six games since Eintracht seemed to have a comfortable eleven-point lead over Bayer. But while the Hessians have only taken three points without a win since then, Leverkusen have had 16 without a defeat. As a result, the Werkself have actually already overtaken Frankfurt. And took sixth place, which would entitle them to participate in the Europa League at the end of the season. Which Eintracht had won last year. And the Bayer as the last Bundesliga team in the quarter-finals now wants to win.
“It’s annoying that the whole thing was so messed up,” said captain Sebastian Rode. He drew optimism from his own negative experience, of all things. “How many times in the past few years have we had good positions with a few games to go and not saved it across the finish line?” he asked: “Now we have to hope, fight and work that this time we’ll be there where we want to be.”
Coach Alonso praises “dynamics”
The billing will be done at the end, said sporting director Markus Krösche. At the same time, however, he made it clear: “We will not change any of our objectives now.” It was never officially called the Champions League, Krösche recently clarified that again. But it meant very well: reaching international competition. And in this regard, Krösche also had to state: “It’s a setback.”
The whole thing also sounded reassuring at Bayer, but from a completely different perspective. That after seven competitive games in a row – a club record set in 2002 – the Champions League is suddenly within reach “no one would have thought in winter”, as Amine Adli explained. The French had made it 1-0. Moussa Diaby (34′), like Adli after a pass from Wirtz, and Sardar Azmoun via counterattack (90’+5′) after Djibril Sow’s goal (75′) ensured the deserved victory.
“It’s great that we were able to continue with this good momentum,” said coach Xabi Alonso, who has the team under control after initial difficulties and always seems to have the right tactical measure ready during the game. “But we don’t look at the table. We have to stay calm.” Then, smiling, he turned to spokeswoman Valeska Homburg and asked, smiling: “How do you say in German? Foot on the ground?”