German Media Reacts as Hugo Ekitike Haunts Frankfurt in Liverpool Mauling

Liverpool roared back to form as they dismantled Eintracht Frankfurt in last night’s Champions League tie.

It was an excellent performance from the Reds as they put their four match losing streak to the back of their minds in Germany.

Arne Slot’s men had lost to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray, Chelsea and Manchester United in their most recent outings but silenced their critics in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.

Even in this tie they found themselves one goal down thanks to a Rasmus Kristensen goal within the first 30 minutes and some fans might have been forgiven for expecting another poor show.

However an inspired Hugo Ekitike and a much improved Florian Wirtz both returned to the country where they previously played their football and shone on this stage.

And that put paid to any worries that it might become five losses in a row which would almost certainly constitute a mini crisis at Anfield.

Frenchman Ekitike – who played 64 times and scored 26 goals for Frankfurt before his move to Liverpool – levelled proceedings before the break with Virgil van Dijk also scoring to turn the game on its head.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfQgR4eRUno

Defender Ibrahima Konate also chipped in to make it 3-1 before half-time and then goals from Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai finished the match as a contest in the second-45.

The result takes Liverpool into 10th spot in the Champions League table after three.

But what was the reaction in Germany to Liverpool overcoming their recent demons to thrash Frankfurt?

The Bundesliga outfit are not exactly in the best form of their history as they sit seventh in their domestic division with just 10 points from a possible 21 and three wins from seven.

However, the media expected more from their boys when the Reds came to town.

We had a look after full-time at just what the press were saying about the match and Liverpool’s stars as well as Franfurt’s underperforming flops.

BILD’s take on Frankfurt vs Liverpool

One of the country’s biggest selling newspapers chose to publish pragmatism as opposed to criticism.

They did report on sporting director Markus Krosche’s comments at full-time as did every other outlet, but they refused to rip into the players.

They did, however, acknowledge that Frankfurt capitulated after their goal.

“Coach Dino Toppmöller’s team held off the Reds for 35 minutes. After that, the Bundesliga team completely fell apart. They conceded goals again: 23 in their last six matches (11 in the Champions League alone).

“It’s striking that the sporting director (Krosche) is usually lenient in its criticism—at least outwardly. Even in the face of crushing defeats.

“But there was no sign of that after the Liverpool game. Probably because Eintracht itself has to fear its absolute Bundesliga obligation against St. Pauli on Saturday”.

Frankfurt vs Liverpool reaction in Kicker

It was Frankfurt’s making and not Liverpool’s improvement which cost the former any sort of chance at home last night.

That’s according to Kicker who claimed the hosts had “made offers Liverpool could not refuse” more than once throughout the 90 or so minutes.

Possession was constantly given away by the Germans, Kicker claimed, and they also shipped goals from corners which the Reds have been more guilty of this season.

Florian Wirtz was applauded by Kick for his two assists.

Frankfurter Rundschau response to Liverpool romp

The publication provided their player ratings from the game and had nobody in black home colours performing better than “quite okay”.

Their headline read: “Only the goalkeeper convinces and that says it all.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyCYRMCTks0

FR claim their squad’s efforts and work ethic were there early on but fell away as the game got too much for them.

They write that the goalkeeper, Michael Zetterer, was the only man who earned pass marks in the Frankfurt team, adding: “Liverpool had 18 shots on goal in 90 minutes, 14 of which were on goal guarded by Zetterer.

“The Eintracht goalkeeper ultimately made nine (!) saves. These are numbers that highlight several problems. Leading players like Robin Koch and Arthur Theate are currently failing to live up to their potential.”

And they concluded with: “Frankfurt will have to show a different face and stabilize itself (vs St Pauli). Otherwise, the autumn in the Main metropolis threatens to be very hot.”

Welt brands Frankfurt defeat to Liverpool ‘disgrace’

“The flood of goals conceded has become a major problem for the seventh-placed Bundesliga team,” they wrote. “Frankfurt has conceded 23 in their last seven games, eleven of them in the Champions League alone.”

The publication’s headline for the article in the first place left little to the imagination.

They wrote: “Frankfurt boss Krösche takes revenge on the players after the disgrace.”

Der Spiegel talks Liverpool win over Frankfurt

Der Spiegel also applauded the home goalkeeper but chose to criticise the rest of the squad for their failings.

Their opening paragraph suggests that, despite Liverpool in a difficult spot of their own this term so far, they were still far too good for the Germans.

“An ineffective goalkeeper substitution, a well-mannered returnee, and a moment of redemption: Eintracht Frankfurt lost 5-1 in the Champions League for the second time. Even in crisis, Liverpool are far too good for them.

“Eintracht Frankfurt can only dream of such prospects (a trophy). After their second crushing European defeat in a row, they have to worry about progressing.”