Story of the month: Stadium reconstruction begins
There’s been a lot going on in the city forest since October with the reconstruction and expansion of the north-west stand. The background to this is the long-planned increase in capacity, which will not least mean that the club will boast the second-largest standing terrace in the Bundesliga from next season. The foundation for the expanded upper tier should be in place by mid-January, with the seating making way for 12,900 additional standing places.
Number of the month: ~ 60,000
Although the plans aren’t limited to attendance growth – sustainable technology and pricing structure are also elements – the capacity of the stadium is set to increase to at least around 58,000. Further improvements to seating beyond the north-west stand will follow until after EURO 2024, in order to increase the capacity for Bundesliga matches to around 60,000.
Face of the month: Siegfried Dietrich
One man who has ensured that women’s football enjoys ever greater popularity in Frankfurt, not just as Deutsche Bank Park but above all at the Stadion am Brentanobad, will be stepping away from his official duties in the new year. On 13 October, Siegfried Dietrich and Eintracht Frankfurt announced that the general agent and women’s sporting director will be retiring at his own request on 31 December 2022. The 65-year-old made the decision for health reasons.
Dietrich is one of the most well known and successful figures in women’s football in Germany and Europe. In December, he received the German Football Association silver badge of honour for his many years of services to the development of women’s and girls’ football.
Goal of the month: Loreen Bender
Admittedly, this one isn’t a goal scored in an Eintracht shirt, but still one with an eagle on the chest. And for good reasons. When Loreen Bender scored a scissor kick to make it 3-3 against Nigeria in the U17 Women’s World Cup, it didn’t just get football purists out of their seats, but also sports viewers of ARD. With 37 percent of the votes, the 17-year-old Eintracht U20 midfielder won the Goal of the Month award – as the youngest winner of all time!
Game of the month: Rapid response on the Thames
October’s game of the month also involves some youthful spirit. On 12 October, Eintracht’s U19 side displayed some impressive comeback qualities when they overturned a 2-0 half-time deficit against their peers from Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Youth League and scored three goals in the space of seven minutes at the start of the second half to earn a 3-2 win.
Quote of the month:
When we play like we did today, we’re a top team. We can’t take our foot off the pedal, though. If you do that you can get a hiding, like we did at Bochum.
Christopher Lenz after the 5-1 win against Bayer 04 Leverkusen
