Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike will face his former club Eintracht Frankfurt in a Champions League match on Wednesday. Eintracht Frankfurt currently bears little resemblance to the team Ekitike left in July after their historic top-four Bundesliga finish last season. The Eagles have managed just one win in their past five matches across all competitions while displaying significant inconsistency. Liverpool’s struggling forward line will be encouraged by Frankfurt’s defence conceding 18 goals during that five-game period. Both teams enter the match facing their own challenges with Liverpool on a four-game losing streak and Frankfurt adjusting to another major departure.
Ekitike served as Frankfurt’s principal attacking force last season following Omar Marmoush’s winter departure to Manchester City. The French striker scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists across 48 appearances in all competitions during his final Frankfurt campaign. Frankfurt has developed a pattern of selling their biggest talents for substantial profits in recent transfer windows. Liverpool secured Ekitike’s services this summer for a reported fee of £69 million, making him the latest starlet to depart the German club. Ekitike joins Marmoush, Randal Kolo Muani, Luka Jovic, Sebastian Haller and Willian Pacho in generating combined transfer revenue of 418 million euros since 2020.
Frankfurt’s scouting department continues demonstrating an exceptional ability to identify talented players for the club. However, the consistent departure of key players inevitably forces the team into repeated rebuilding phases. The current young Frankfurt squad has shown both brilliant moments and pure chaos in equal measure throughout this season. Frankfurt began their Champions League campaign with an impressive 5-1 home victory against Galatasaray in only their second appearance in the competition. Their following European match resulted in a humbling 5-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid that exposed defensive vulnerabilities.
Frankfurt’s Bundesliga form reflects their inconsistent performances with three wins, three losses and one draw from seven matches. Manager Dino Toppmoeller’s side currently sits seventh in the league while scoring the second-most goals behind Bayern Munich. Their defensive record remains concerning as Frankfurt has conceded more goals than any other Bundesliga team this season. Frankfurt’s current struggles present Liverpool with an opportunity to revive their own challenging season. The English champions remain vulnerable as they continue integrating several new signings into their squad.
Summer signing Florian Wirtz has yet to register a goal or assist in either Premier League or Champions League competition for Liverpool. Alexander Isak, another high-profile arrival from Newcastle, has similarly failed to reproduce his best form since joining the club. Ekitike stands out as perhaps the only Liverpool new recruit to impress despite the team’s overall struggles this season. The 23-year-old French striker has scored five goals in eleven appearances across all competitions for Liverpool. Frankfurt sporting director Timmo Hardung believes facing Liverpool could provide the spark to ignite his team’s season.
Hardung described the upcoming match as a completely different game during his comments on Frankfurt’s official website. The sporting director expressed his excitement about the prospect of facing Liverpool in Champions League competition. He confirmed that things would move forward again starting from Monday in preparation for the European encounter. Hardung emphasized that facing Liverpool in the Champions League represents the ultimate football experience. His comments reflect the significance of this match for both clubs as they seek to turnaround their respective seasons. – AFP
