07.08.2022
Eintracht

First chance of silverware

Eintracht Frankfurt will be back on the European stage on Wednesday in the UEFA Super Cup in Helsinki, where they get to face Real Madrid as Europa League winners.

After successfully negotiating the first round of the DFB Cup away to 1. FC Magdeburg and then coming unstuck against Bayern Munich to open the 60th Bundesliga season, Eintracht Frankfurt are now heading back into the European arena already on Wednesday 10 August (kick-off 21:00 CEST). Real Madrid are their opponents in the UEFA Super Cup at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium.

A win would be incredibly significant because we’re up against the best team in Europe.

Head coach Oliver Glasner

“We spent a little more time than usual talking about the Bayern Munich game on Saturday,” said head coach Oliver Glasner. “Despite the way that went, we’ll be giving it all we’ve got to beat Real and bring the trophy back to Frankfurt. A win would be incredibly significant because we’re up against the best team in Europe.”

“You always want to win trophies,” captain Sebastian Rode added. “We really want to give Eintracht Frankfurt the chance to raise a cup like that aloft against Real Madrid.”

Usual suspects versus newcomers

Back at the end of May, Los Blancos edged out Liverpool 1-0 to win their eighth Champions League title – more than any other club. Add to that their six European Cup triumphs and that makes 14 of the famous ‘Big Ears’ trophies in the Spanish champions’ cabinet. As such, Real have become regulars in the Super Cup and are looking to bag their fifth win. Frankfurt, on the other hand, are competing for this particular piece of silverware for the first time.

The UEFA Super Cup.

Real, whose coach Carlo Ancelotti became the first manager to lift the Champion League trophy four times back in May, have not yet started their new domestic season. While Eintracht have been busy kicking off their cup and Bundesliga campaigns, their opponents have been playing a number of high-profile friendlies. The club went on a US tour where they faced arch-rivals Barcelona (losing 1-0), then Mexican club CF América (2-2) and Juventus (who they defeated 2-0). Star French striker Karim Benzema already picked up where he had left off the previous season, scoring against América and Juve. Real will be back in La Liga action on 14 August against UD Almería.

A win in Helsinki on Wednesday would see Real draw level with AC Milan and Barcelona on five Super Cups, but of course the Eagles will have something to say about that when they make their debut in the event. Eintracht will become the fifth German team, after Bayern München, Hamburger SV, Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund, to take part in the UEFA Super Cup, with only Bayern having managed to actually win the trophy.

Match info

Kick-off: Wedneaday 10 August, 21:00 CEST
Stadium: Olympic Stadium, Helsinki