After the loss to Atalanta, VfB Stuttgart now faces another top match against Eintracht Frankfurt. Frankfurt fan Cettina tells us what’s going on with the SGE.
With the Red Stripe: After Atalanta BC, now Eintracht Frankfurt is coming to Stuttgart, with a fan friendship connecting them to the Europa League winner. How did this friendship come about?
Cettina: The friendship with Atalanta Bergamo has existed for 24 years and actually originated from another friendship, namely with the “Crazy Heads” from FC Wacker Innsbruck. I doubt I’m the best person to discuss ultra-related matters, but what’s generally known is that Frankfurt fans made their way to Bergamo via private friendships through Innsbruck – specifically to the NOMADI group. One of our ultra groups, Droogs 99, talks about a “fortunate coincidence” on their homepage, as the Crazy Heads themselves didn’t have a direct connection to NOMADI, but rather to the now-defunct BNA.
The official version, as described in Atalanta Bergamo’s book, traces it back to 1999. On the second-to-last matchday in Serie B, some Bergamo fans met Frankfurt fans on their way to Veneto to source materials, which at that time were often only available in Italy. As it goes with football fans, a few Frankfurt fans ended up in the stands and kept in touch via letters. Much time has passed since then, and a remarkable friendship has developed. The last friendly meet-up was in December 2022, when I also traveled to Bergamo to attend the Trofeo Bortolli Cup. But the friendship extends well beyond what happens on the field – think of 2020, when Bergamo was hit hard by COVID. Even then, Frankfurt fans supported their friends.
How satisfied are people in Frankfurt with the current season?
It depends on who you ask! 😀 The anti-Toppmöller faction is certainly not satisfied, but most fans are. Especially compared to recent years when the season started with a string of snooze-inducing 1–1 draws, we’re now seeing exciting performances in both the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal. Eintracht is in third place in the league for good reason, and it’s just fun to watch the joy with which the team plays. Of course, you can nitpick and bring up the loss to Dortmund, but I’ll leave that to others. It’s hard to let go of years of forced pessimism, but at the moment, there’s not much to complain about. In the Europa League, it’s a bit different; while we remain unbeaten and have won every game except against Viktoria Pilsen, our performance has been less convincing – but that’s complaining at a high level.
Frankfurt has solidified its place at the top of the standings; how likely is it that they’ll stay there by the season’s end?
If you watch an Eintracht Frankfurt game, you’ll eventually hear the chant “Only SGE will be the German champion,” so that should answer the question! Jokes aside, I’m fairly certain it won’t continue like this all season, but I’d love to be proven wrong. However, I’ve been a Frankfurt fan long enough to know that no season is free of minor crises. The most important thing is that the team keeps playing like this and that you get the sense everyone is giving their best.
I’d be thrilled if they qualify for European competitions, whether that’s the Champions League or the Europa League doesn’t matter to me. But I can say this: right now, we’re seeing the best Eintracht in a long time. Last season was a bit dull, and in previous years, we often played without a proper striker, which wasn’t helpful. Now, with Marmoush and Ekitiké up front, it’s just so much fun to watch, and I’d love for these guys to be rewarded this season – ideally with the best league finish in club history, which currently stands at fifth place.
With Dahoud, Marmoush, Grahl, and Onguene, Frankfurt has four players with past ties to VfB. How are these players doing in Frankfurt?
There’s not much to say about Jérôme Onguene as he hasn’t played with our pros yet, but the other players all have fantastic qualities that fit our style well. Omar Marmoush is arguably the hottest topic in German football right now, and he has truly earned it. When he moved from Wolfsburg to the Main in 2023, I never expected him to flourish in this role. Back then, Kolo Muani was still in Frankfurt, but when he left for France, Marmoush (by necessity) got Toppmöller’s trust, which proved to be absolutely the right decision. It reminds me a bit of how Filip Kostić made his mark here after struggling to shine elsewhere.
Mo Dahoud is also an incredible addition to our midfield. Watching him train, you can see that he could quietly become a key player. Especially when Ellyes Shkiri wasn’t performing well, Mo stepped in immediately, providing Eintracht with something we didn’t have before. The role Donny van de Beek was supposed to fill, Mo Dahoud has taken on successfully – even if he sometimes gives me a heart attack by taking risks at the back. Jens Grahl is our third-choice goalkeeper, bringing all the qualities you’d want in that role. Though he’s only played twice, he’s done well, and we know we can rely on him. Our young keeper Kaua Santos also praises Grahl’s experience and team spirit.
How would you describe Frankfurt’s style of play? What are its strengths and weaknesses?
A clear strength of Eintracht Frankfurt is their attack. With Marmoush and Ekitiké, we have two players who drive toward the goal with great intensity. As soon as they get the ball in the half-spaces, it often turns into a one-on-one situation that favors Eintracht because they’re tough to defend. Our passing game leading up to goals is also something to admire. We’ve strengthened our squad depth, so we have good replacements for nearly every position. Of course, we have to give young players time and not judge them too quickly, but just having talent that can get meaningful minutes and do well is a tremendous gain.
Our defense is also solid, with Arthur Theate and Rasmus Kristensen providing physical stability since the summer. Even when Kristensen was injured, players like Brown and Collins filled in admirably. But we wouldn’t be Eintracht Frankfurt without some bumps. This season, we still struggle against defensive opponents. When a team cedes possession, we sometimes lack ideas. The high match load is another challenge, and I’m sure November will expose some vulnerabilities. Aside from the Stuttgart game, matches against Bremen, Midtjylland, and Heidenheim likely won’t be adventurous, so Eintracht will face some real tests.
Who is your Frankfurt player of the season so far, and why is it Omar Marmoush?
I don’t typically get attached to individual players quickly, but Omar Marmoush changed that. The last player who made me feel this way was Ante Rebić. When Rodrigo Zalazar went on loan to St. Pauli in 2021, I noticed Marmoush, who caught my eye immediately, though that faded after his move to Stuttgart. We don’t even need to talk about his time in Wolfsburg, but I was thrilled when he joined us. It just feels right with him here, and he repays the trust of fans and the coach with great enthusiasm. Last season, he looked a bit out of place at first, but with 17 goals and 6 assists in 41 games, he surprised me. This season, he’s broken Eintracht icon Anthony Yeboah’s record by scoring ten goals in his first nine Bundesliga games.
Stuttgart vs. Frankfurt is one of the few remaining matchups between two great traditional clubs. How do Frankfurt fans view this encounter? Is this matchup something special for them, or just another game?
I can only speak for myself and my circle, but I would definitely say it’s always something special when we play against traditional clubs. There’s nothing better than standing in the away section and feeling that real opposition is there. The Neckarstadion has once again become a kind of fortress, difficult to conquer both on and off the field, and of course, that makes it way more enjoyable than standing in dull Wolfsburg. Naturally, we all hope clubs like Schalke, Hamburg, or Cologne make their way back up, and that Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg, and, of course, the construct from Leipzig, finally fade into obscurity. Until then, we’ll just have to keep celebrating these last big matchups as they deserve to be.
Finally: What’s your prediction and feeling for the game?
It’s incredibly difficult for me to make a prediction for this game. One could assume that Eintracht has a good chance here, but I’m reluctant to stick my neck out too far. The current standings do favor the SGE, but I wouldn’t let that fool me—I’m expecting another classic draw. This time, I really think it’ll be 2–2.
Thank you!
Note: This interview was translated from German via ChatGPT
Picture: © Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images