There are several cult anthems that a fan of Eintracht Frankfurt always has ready. “Black and White Like Snow” by the trash metal band tankard is one of those songs that survive good and bad times, which, despite the cocaine investigations against Eintracht President Peter Fischer, roared out of the loudspeakers before the DFB Cup round of 16 against SV Darmstadt 98 before the fifth in the Bundesliga beat the second division leaders in a spectacle defeated 4:2 (2:2).
If a football game was made to distract from the allegations against the club boss, then this one on Tuesday evening. With the victory, the Frankfurters get options in three competitions. And apparently it was not enough for coach Oliver Glasner that manager Markus Krösche had recently formulated enormous goals with reaching the cup final, a possible advancement in the Champions League against Naples and at least fourth place in the league. In the end, all that counts is “holding the pot in our hands. That’s what we want,” said the Austrian. One is “happy, relieved and glad that we won against really good Darmstadt”.
Attacker Mathias Honsak (29th and 31st) gave the outsider a 2-1 lead at one point, but there was a striker on the other side who, according to Darmstadt coach Torsten Lieberknecht, climbed “four floors”: Randal Kolo Muani. A paragon of power and will that can’t be held back by anything or anyone. “I’m happy that I can play my qualities better and better,” he said himself. The always dangerous Frenchman not only scored the early 1-0 (6th) and late 4-2 (90th), but also scored for Daichi Kamada made it 3: 2 (62nd). Frankfurt’s number nine only had no part in the finely combined 2: 2 by Rafael Borré (44th).
The currently best Bundesliga scorer has already scored 14 goals and 15 assists in all competitions on his first stop abroad. The equally convincing Mario Götze, who has already won the cup with Dortmund, Bayern and PSV Eindhoven, found words of recognition. “He brings an incredible quality, especially in the end. He gives our game a lot. He’s a sensationally good player,” he said in an ARD interview.
Randal Kolo Muani’s contract in Frankfurt runs until 2027
At 30, Götze himself looks as wiry as ever and finds a buyer for his passes in Muani, 24, who immediately returned the compliments: “My deep runs go well with my teammates, who work hard to make me shine. We just go together well.” The mutual benefit is obvious and reminds older semesters at Eintracht of blissful times when Uwe Bein once sent Anthony Yeboah on his journey with best regards and thus invented football in 2000.
The two difference players of the present also have an interesting interface: Just as Götze shot Germany in extra time to win the world championship against Argentina in 2014, Muani would have almost done it with France in the 2022 final if Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez hadn’t made his move at the last second foot would have extended. Unlike Götze, Muani doesn’t have to live with the dangers that such a goal entails for a career. He recently spoke very openly about how much this “setback” bothered him, “but it’s something that made me stronger”.
The Parisian, who came on a free transfer from FC Nantes in the summer, is providing evidence every three days. In this respect, the new song that the Frankfurt fan curve came up with fits very well. About the chorus of “No Limit” by the 90’s eurodance duo 2 Unlimited those verses were written that were once meant for the brothers Yaya and Kolo Touré in English stadiums: “Kolo, Kolo, Kolo…”
The only thing that remains is the concern of the fans that the new darling will soon move on. However, manager Krösche does not intend to quickly make money from the Eintracht professional with the greatest promise of return. “If players develop much faster than the club then I’m ready to let them go, but I don’t see that for Randal yet.” However, it should also be impossible for Kolo Muani to fulfill his contract with Hessen, which runs until 2027.