After five years and 157 appearances in all competitions, Mijat Gacinovic is leaving Eintracht Frankfurt and moving to Hoffenheim. Despite still only being 25 years old, Gacinovic has made himself a part of living Eintracht history.
The attacking midfielder arrived in Frankfurt from Vojvodina Novi Sad in 2015, leaving his home country of Serbia for the first time. At the end of his first season, he set up the winning goal for Haris Seferovic in the return leg of the relegation play-off against 1. FC Nürnberg, playing a crucial role in keeping the Eagles in the top flight. He’ll also be remembered for his lung-busting run in the 2018 DFB Cup final, when he left everyone in his wake to complete the 3-1 victory over Bayern.
Indeed, the 2017/18 season will probably be regarded as Gacinovic’s most consistent, and not just because of the cup triumph. Eintracht picked up an average of 1.69 points per game when their No.11 was on the field, with Gacinovic contributing five assists and one goal in the league as well as three goals in four outings in the cup. That tally was only beaten in the 2018/19 UEFA Europa League campaign, when the 18-time Serbia international played a key part in the Eagles’ run to the semi-finals against Chelsea with two goals and seven assists. He’s not quite lived up to that promise since then, although he hasn’t been helped by niggling injuries.
Thank you for everything and goodbye!
Mijat Gacinovic
Sporting director Bruno Hübner said: “Highly regarded in the team and at the club for his modest nature and self-sacrificing playing style, Mijat has everything you want in a seasoned Bundesliga player. After in-depth and open talks, we came to the joint verdict that a change of scenery might help him to perform at his best. We wish him every possible success in that – as long as it’s not against us.”
Mijat Gacinovic added: “Leaving Eintracht is honestly the hardest decision of my life. I’ve been here for five years and enjoyed every minute of it. My family and I felt at home here and I’ll certainly return to Frankfurt at some point, maybe once I’ve finished playing. I’ve really enjoyed it, the club has given me a lot. Thank you for everything and goodbye!”
