“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.”
Football is a great leveller. It puts gods and mortals on the same pitch and gives everyone a chance; a chance to prove their worth, a chance to live their dreams.
Eintracht Frankfurt are having a European cup run which no one could have seen coming when the season began.
They were drawn in Group H with Marseille, Lazio and Apollon. On paper, Marseille and Lazio were the favourites to go through. But when the group stage ended, a lot of heads turned. Frankfurt managed to secure 18 points in their group stage campaign having scored a resounding 17 goals in the process.
In the next round, Eintracht Frankfurt faced Shakhtar Donetsk and only a few gave them a chance against the Ukrainian giants. At the end of 180 minutes, they prevailed as winners with an aggregate of 6-3. To say that their performance against Shakhtar was commendable would be an understatement. Having drawn the first leg 2-2, they beat Shakhtar 4-1 at the Commerzbank Arena.
Next up were Inter Milan. The Italian giants were definite favorites when the two teams met at the Commerzbank Arena. When the final score at the end of the first leg read 0-0, many believed that Frankfurt’s dream run was coming to an end. To go to the San Siro and get a result was a daunting task. But the young resilient Frankfurt side did the impossible. They beat Inter 1-0 in front of a packed San Siro. The players believed in themselves and so did the fans.
Let’s take a look at some of the players who are making a difference.
1. Sebastian Haller
This 24 year old striker has scored 5 goals and provided 3 assists in 9 appearances. Naturally strong and good in the air, Haller is a tough forward to face. A trait which makes him even more lethal is his passing and ability to link up with his teammates.
2. Filip Kostic
This forward has scored 3 and assisted 1 in 7 appearances so far. Dangerous from direct free kicks and having the ability to pick out key passes in tight spaces, Kostic is a threat to any defense.
3. Mijat Gacinovic
This versatile Serbian can operate anywhere from the midfield to the forward line. What makes him special is his defensive contribution and immaculate passing ability. Having scored 2 and assisted 4 in 10 appearances so far, he looks hungry for more.
4. Luka Jovic
One of the most sought after young players in the world right now, Luka Jovic operates primarily as a striker. He has every trait a young forward would want to possess. His ability to head the ball adds to his excellent finishing ability. This in-form striker has scored 7 goals and assisted 1 in 7 appearances so far.
5. Martin Hinteregger
Any successful team must have a good,strong and able centre back to orchestrate the defense. This Austrian has done just that. He is the man who gets his team out of trouble more often than not. Though he has made only 4 appearances in the Europa League so far, he has stepped up when his team has needed him to. Averaging 2.3 aerial duel wins per 90, this Austrian is a tough defender to go up against.
6. Danny da Costa
The German defensive midfielder is one of the most important players in the team. Having featured in 10 games in the Europa League so far, he has scored 2 goals and provided 1 assist so far. His ability to break up play and play long balls makes him dangerous for any opposition.
7. David Abraham
This 32 year old Argentine has made 4 appearances so far this season. He is strong in the air. He averages 1.3 aerial duels won per 90.
Eintract Frankfurt’s quarter final opponents are SL Benfica. Everyone is eagerly waiting for 180 minutes of intriguing football come April. Whether they go through to the semi finals remains to be seen, but with a squad full of players eager to prove themselves, they definitely would fancy their chances.
– Kinjal Bhattacharya
The Sport Catalogue 