Football Season Guide

Bundesliga

Germany

Bundesliga

2014/2015

Eintracht Frankfurt

In

David Kinsombi(def) (Mainz), Aleksander Ignjovski(mid) (Werder Bremen), Timothy Chandler(def) (Nurnberg), Lucas Piazon(att) (Chelsea - Loan), Haris Seferovic(att) (Real Sociedad), Makoto Hasebe(mid) (Nurnberh), Nelson Valdez(att) (Al-Jazira)

Out

Sebastian Rode(r)(mid) (Bayern Munchen), Pirmin Schwegler(k)(mid) (Hoffenheim), Sebastian Jung(r)(def) (Wolfsburg), Stephan Schröck(sp)(def) (Greuther Furth), Stefano Celozzi(sp)(def) (Bochum), Marc-Oliver Kempf(sp)(def) (SC Freiburg), Aykut Ozer(gk) (Karabukspor), Marvin Bakalorz(sp)(mid) (Paderborn), Marco Aulbach(gk) (Preußen Munster), Erik Wille(def) (MSV Duisburg), Alexander Hien(def) (Released), Tranquillo Barnetta(sp)(mid) (Schalke - End of Loan), Tobias Weis(sp)(mid) (Hoffenheim - End of Loan), Joselu(r)(att) (Hannover - End of Loan)

A new coach and a new-look team but expectations remain the same for Eintracht Frankfurt who will be hoping for another safe mid-table position when they kick the new season off by welcoming SC Freiburg. Frankfurt enjoyed considerable success under Armin Veh but with the 53-year old having already confirmed that he was leaving the club at the end of last season, former Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf has taken over the reins at the Commerzbank-Arena. Schaaf will be looking to build on Veh's success at the club but takes over a weakened Frankfurt side after the departures of a number of first choice players from last season. The spine of the team has been disbanded with Sebastian Jung, Sebastian Rode and Pirmin Schwegler moving on to other clubs while loan signings Joselu, Tranquillo Barnetta and Tobias Weis who played an integral role in helping Frankfurt move away from the relegation zone last season have also returned back to their clubs. Back up players such as Marc-Oliver Kempf, Stephan Schrock, Aykut Ozer and Stefano Celozzi are also gone, leaving Schaaf with a thin squad with the start of the season just over a week away. Lack of funds means that the Frankfurt coach has had to rely on free transfers with David Kinsombi, Aleksandar Ignjovski and Nelson Valdez arriving at the club though it will be Makoto Hasebe's signing that could prove to be crucial for Frankfurt's hopes this season. Injury problems meant that Hasebe spent a frustrating amount of time on the sidelines last season but the Japanese midfielder's title winning experience with Wolfsburg could be vital for Frankfurt as they look to overcome the loss of a number of key players in the summer. Lucas Piazón has also been signed on loan from Chelsea while Frankfurt may have found their answer to their lack of goals up front after signing Haris Seferovic from Real Sociedad. Seferovic enjoyed a successful World Cup with Switzerland and will be leading the line for Frankfurt alonside Valdez while Piazon, Hasebe and Aleksandar Ignjovski are also expected to be part of the starting lineup under Schaaf. Frankfurt ended a disappointing pre-season with an encouraging victory over Italian giants Inter Milan and while Frankfurt may struggle to replicate their excellent finish from their first season back in the Bundesliga, a safe finish away from the relegation zone is a realistic possibility

Target

Loss of Jung, Rode and Schwegler will hit hard while a new look starting lineup will have to gel quickly if the club is to finish well away from the relegation zone.