2 weeks ago
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When Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike returns to look his erstwhile nine Eintracht Frankfurt successful the Champions League connected Wednesday, helium volition find a broadside which bears small resemblance to the 1 helium near successful July.
Last year, Frankfurt qualified for the Champions League by finishing successful the Bundesliga apical 4 for the archetypal clip successful their history.
Their third-placed decorativeness was their champion effect since the 1992-93 season.
However, the Eagles person lacked immoderate benignant of consistency since the commencement of the existent run and boast conscionable 1 triumph successful their past 5 games successful each competitions.
Liverpool’s misfiring guardant enactment volition beryllium licking their lips looking astatine Frankfurt’s defence, which has conceded 18 goals successful that five-game run.
While Liverpool, connected a four-game losing streak, person teething problems of their own, Frankfurt person struggled aft erstwhile again losing their biggest star.
Last season, Ekitike was Frankfurt’s main attacking force, peculiarly aft the wintertime departure of Omar Marmoush to Manchester City.
The Frenchman scored 22 goals and laid connected 12 assists successful 48 games successful each competitions.
But Frankfurt person made a wont of selling their biggest talents for large profits successful caller years.
Ekitike became the latest starlet to permission Frankfurt successful the summer, erstwhile Liverpool paid a reported £69 cardinal ($92 million) for his services.
Ekitike, Marmoush, Randal Kolo Muani, Luka Jovic, Sebastian Haller and Willian Pacho person brought successful a combined 418 cardinal euros ($487 million) since 2020.
But portion Frankfurt’s scouts person shown a continued quality to unearth gems, the departure of cardinal players ever leads to a play of rebuilding.
And Frankfurt, arsenic is often the lawsuit for a young squad successful specified a phase, person shown strokes of brilliance and moments of axenic chaos successful adjacent measurement this season.
– ‘A antithetic game’ –
Playing successful the Champions League for conscionable the 2nd clip successful their history, Frankfurt opened their run with an unthinkable 5-1 location triumph implicit Galatasaray, with their youthful attackers moving riot.
But adjacent clip out, the 2022 Europa League winners were humbled astatine Atletico Madrid by the aforesaid scoreline, with their chaotic defence an utter shambles.
In the Bundesliga, Frankfurt’s hot-and-cold 3 wins, 3 losses and 1 gully has them seventh aft 7 matches.
Apart from league leaders Bayern Munich, Dino Toppmoeller’s broadside person scored the astir goals successful the league this play but they person besides conceded much than immoderate different side.
Frankfurt’s struggles whitethorn beryllium a accidental for Liverpool to revive their season, but the location broadside cognize the English champions volition beryllium susceptible portion they effort to find their feet.
Florian Wirtz has yet to people oregon assistance successful the Premier League oregon Champions League since arriving successful Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen successful the summer.
Deadly anyplace successful oregon astir the container for Newcastle, Alexander Isak is different summertime accomplishment who is yet to look his best.
Ekitike is possibly the lone 1 of Liverpool’s caller recruits to impressment contempt the club’s struggles this season.
The 23-year-old has 5 goals successful 11 appearances successful each competitions for Liverpool.
Sporting manager Timmo Hardung said taking connected the Reds could supply the spark to ignite Frankfurt’s season.
“It volition beryllium a wholly antithetic game,” Hardung told Frankfurt’s website connected Sunday.
“Starting Monday, things volition determination guardant again.
“Liverpool. Champions League. There’s thing amended successful football. I’m incredibly excited astir it.”
The station Liverpool’s Ekitike returns to look floundering Frankfurt appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.
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