“We’re taking our opponents very seriously” | OneFootball

Eintracht boss Adi Hütter shares his thoughts on SC St. Tönis, the importance of the DFB Cup and Robin Koch’s return as the Eagles prepare for their first competitive fixture of 2026/27.

Eintracht Frankfurt play their first competitive game of the 2026/27 season on Friday 21 August, when they travel to SC St. Tönis 1911/20 in the first round of the DFB Cup (kick-off 18:00 CEST). At the pre-match press conference, head coach Adi Hütter spoke about…… the DFB Cup: “It’s no secret that the DFB Cup is the shortest route into Europe. That’s why we’re taking our first competitive game very seriously. The DFB Cup is immensely important to us.”

… the opponents: “St. Tönis are compact in defence, operate in a 5-4-1 and try to transition quickly. We’ve gathered plenty of video footage for our preparations and are taking our opponents very seriously. That said, it’s important to remember that we’re Eintracht Frankfurt, and we’re heading to Krefeld with the aim of reaching the next round. To achieve that, we need to deliver a professional, strong performance. If we do that, we’ll come out on top.” 

… personnel: “Robin Koch has been training normally and we expect him to be available on Friday. Noel Aseko is training with the team every day, which is also very encouraging. His knee is looking better and better, and he’s doing really well. Nnamdi Collins will be out for a little longer.”

… the goalkeeper position: “Kaua Santos will play in goal on Friday.”

… the start of the season: “I’m really looking forward to the first few games, starting with our trip to Krefeld, where Bayer Uerdingen used to play. After that, it’s our Bundesliga opener at Union Berlin and our first game at Deutsche Bank Park against Augsburg. I’ve really been looking forward to the Bundesliga, having been watching it on TV for three years. Being back in the dugout in Germany makes me very happy.”