After falling in the DFB Pokal final in May of 2017 questions abounded as to how the Eagles would proceed after a strong 2016-17.
Niko Kovac and director Fredi Bobic went about a heavy reinforcement campaign in the off season which featured a three match USA tour as the club spent a record 19 million euros and player record seven million on Sebastian Haller.
Eintracht was able to hold off the issues that plagued them in the previous season as in the second half of the previous season the team was physically drained and hurting from a lack of depth.
17/18 became one in which season long stability was a talking point as major triumphs occurred throughout the year before what seemed to be a derailment at the hands of Bayern Munich occurred in late spring.
With the team flirting with Champions League qualification the reigning champions FCB under a cloak of secrecy Kovac was signed to take over Bayern for the next season.
In the final five league matches the team picked up one victory and four defeats, the lone bright spot seemed to be that they scrapped together a 1-0 away win in the semifinals of the DFB Pokal.
Then came the pending final with Bayern Munich in Berlin for the DFB Pokal.
Quite a lot to consider knowing that it would be the final match for Kovac before going to his next employer. Previously this had happened in the final of 1984 as Lothar Matthaus for Borussia Monchengladbach was taking his penalty in the shootout and missed the penalty to ensure his future employer would win the match.
Even with that narrative, knowing that European qualification was only possible by beating Bayern Frankfurt took the field with one goal. Push, shove, get physical, and disrupt Munich’s match plan and take the scoring opportunities.
With a phrase like ‘Bruder Schalg den ball lang’ Croatian striker Ante Rebic scored in the first half and again via a Kevin-Prince Boateng long pass to put the team up 2-1. The strategy was working and multiple players for Munich looked frustrated as they were unable to execute their usual game plan.
The match was sealed as Mijat Gacinovic galloped with the goalkeeper up for the pending corner and outraced all the opposition to put the ball away to ensure absolute pandemonium on the sideline and in the stands as Eintracht Frankfurt ended a 30 year title drought with their fifth DFB Pokal title.
The craziness of the final match aside Eintracht Frankfurt was able to make the Europa League in a season that looked to be a midtable finish sort of campaign. The improvement of the club and the financial windfall of ensured group stage and the winners money along with hosting the 2018 Super Cup the Eagles will be going into their 2018 summer preseason tour of the United States with big hopes and dreams of a bright and successful future.
