Oliver Glasner knows about the special importance of the upcoming game. The competition for the DFB-Pokal is the only remaining opportunity to take something of lasting value with you from this season, in which many things ran like clockwork for a long time, but now numerous problems are plaguing Eintracht.
“Three more wins and we’ll be at the Römer,” said the Frankfurt coach ahead of the quarter-finals, which will be played this Tuesday (6:00 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the DFB Cup and on ZDF, as well as on Sky) in their own stadium Union Berlin goes.
However, in order for the first weekend in June to actually be celebrated on the town hall balcony like in May 2018 after the cup coup against Bayern or last year after the Europa League triumph against Glasgow Rangers, Glasner and his players first have to play against an opponent exist, who currently knows like no other how to make favorites fall. So Eintracht should be warned.
Which makes Glasner positive
When the two teams were drawn by lot a few weeks ago, many observers still spoke of a favorable constellation for the Hessians, which, however, has since lost its promising position in the Bundesliga table due to injuries, suspensions, form crises, tactical misconduct and a lack of effectiveness Napoli have shown what they lack to be a top team.
Looking ahead, Glasner directs his attention less to the things that he didn’t like recently, and more to the aspects of working with the squad that make him positive regardless: “We trust ourselves to win,” he said in consideration the duel with the Köpenickers, who gained more self-confidence in the 3-0 win over Stuttgart at the weekend.
It will probably be a “heated and intense game,” said the Austrian, also under the impression of the meeting in mid-March at the Alte Försterei, in which his men drew the short straw at 0:2. “We’ll find our chances,” said Glasner, justifying his assumption with the analysis of the Bochum game on Friday, which ended 1-1, in which Eintracht was the much more active team with 20-7 shots on goal.
“Everyone wants a break,” said Glasner, who praised his players for the effort and energy they put into breaking the negative run. “We are not satisfied with the results,” said the 48-year-old, but “the learning curve” is pointing upwards.
Don’t be guided by negative thoughts
“It always depends on whether I see the opportunities or the dangers,” said Glasner in view of the difficult tasks before Easter, which also include the league match on Saturday in Leverkusen – and two defeats within four days could be his end the proclaimed “final sprint of the season” before it has really started.
He himself is not someone who is guided by negative thoughts, “that makes life easier”. With “punch forward” and aggressiveness in the duels, the fast-running Unioners, who can only narrow the spaces if they are not put under pressure, can be dealt with first. His players “will have enough adrenaline in their blood,” announced Glasner.
With all the commitment that he wants to see from the first minute, it will nevertheless be important not to blindly advance “while foaming at the mouth”, to forget to protect himself and thus offer counterattack opportunities. A win could succeed in “changing perceptions,” said Glasner.
He mentioned the “general weather situation” around the club and was thus aiming at the leadership dispute between the members of the supervisory board and the board of directors: Reaching the semi-finals could help influence the mood at Eintracht in such a way that they were “very positive” again will be felt. The man likes it ambitious.