“Not how I imagined it!” - Frankfurt left frustrated after Mainz defeat | OneFootball

Disappointment was the overriding feeling in the Eintracht Frankfurt camp following their 2-1 defeat to Mainz 05, with both Jonathan Burkardt and Nathaniel Brown reflecting on a missed opportunity in a crucial stage of the season.

Burkardt: “We deserved to lose”

For Burkardt, the match carried extra emotional weight as he returned to his former club. While he appreciated the reception, the result left a bitter taste. “It was nice to see a lot of friends and familiar faces - it was great to come back here,” he said. “But the game wasn’t how I imagined it.”

The Frankfurt forward was blunt in his assessment of the performance: “We’re behind the European places now, which is frustrating. We allowed too many chances and created too few - and then you deserve to lose a game like this.”

Despite showing some attacking improvement compared to recent matches, Burkardt admitted it still wasn’t enough: “I think we had more chances today than last week against Heidenheim, but it still wasn’t sufficient. It’s a shame.”

Looking ahead, he pointed to the upcoming international break as a potential reset: “We need to see what we can improve, but the break will do some of us good.”

Brown: “We need more consistency”

Goalscorer Nathaniel Brown echoed the sense of frustration, particularly regarding Frankfurt’s current run of form.

“These phases are part of football - and we’re going through one right now,” he said. “I’m not exactly sure why it is how it is right now, but we need to keep working and build more consistency.”

Injury concern for Germany call-up

Brown also addressed concerns after picking up a knock during the match:

“I’m still in pain, but I hope it’s nothing too serious. I’ll do everything I can to be available for Germany.”

Reflecting on his goal, Brown kept it straightforward: “I was in the right position - and I hit it well to score. I like to be in positions like these.”

However, his equaliser ultimately proved insufficient as Frankfurt slipped to another frustrating defeat.

With ground lost in the race for European qualification, Frankfurt now face mounting pressure to respond after the international break.

For Burkardt and company, improvement is urgently needed - before their season risks fully slipping away.