Dhat was perfect timing. Late, but not too late, Axel Hellmann explained on the day before the semifinals why he wanted to remain loyal to Eintracht and want to fulfill his contract. It was the right signal at the right time as the team, previously on a lurch course, looked transformed in the moment when it really counted. “We have enough energy in the tank,” said CEO Hellmann.
“We just have to put it on the road.” To stay with the metaphor: At VfB, the team brought this energy to the pitch. Coach Oliver Glasner managed to make fine adjustments during the cup game that had been open for a long time and to drive the players to top performances. That wasn’t always the case lately, and the series of nine league games without a win in a row caused the team to crash in the table.