Eintracht 2026: Goalkeeper Future & Key Questions

Eintracht Frankfurt will face Dortmund on Friday (8:30 p.m.), followed by Stuttgart, Bremen and Qarabag in the Champions League. The most important questions and answers:

There are six new ones, the latest being Arnaud Kalimuendo. Is that enough?

Mark Weidenfeller: Phew. One for the Hessenliga, three for the future, one from the second division, one from the bench of the English table 17th. Of course, with new arrivals you always have to wait and give them time. But if you consider how long it took even Hugo Ekitiké to get going, I don’t see any urgently needed emergency aid at the moment. Arnaud Kalimuendo and Younes Ebnoutalib certainly bring elements that Eintracht is missing and could help (in the long term). At the moment, however, skepticism predominates for me. A really good six is ​​still missing.

Ron Ulrich: I’m with you and share the discomfort. Unfortunately, I am often forced to watch the second division. The difference in quality to the first league is shocking to say the least, and any talk of the “strongest second league of all time” is outrageous in my opinion. Strikers like Simon Terodde and Budu Zivzivadze were able to destroy the lower house while they couldn’t get a leg up in the Bundesliga. This is where my skepticism regarding Ebnoutalib comes from – at least for this season. Due to the uncertainty with Jonathan Burkardt, the attack inevitably had to be increased. However, it seems strange when a team brings in several offensive players without strengthening the league’s second-worst defense at the same time. And above all, they would need a reliable clearer in front of the chain. That would make us – the same procedure as every year – when calling for a six.

Daniel Schmitt: Of course I’ll also take a six, even a defender or a striker. I just don’t believe it. All of these new names are already on the verge of being processed. I wouldn’t be as pessimistic as Ron about Ebnoutalib. Robust, strong finishes, and someone with unity in his heart. It’s nice again. It’s still in flow and you should use it. And Kalimuendo? Sure, he hasn’t played much recently, but the SGE will hardly be able to get a regular player from the Premier League. In this respect: It will be better than Wahi and it costs (almost) nothing. Rental income for Wahi and rental expenses for Kalimuendo are balanced. At first glance: good exchange.

To the article

Who should be in goal – Kaua Santos or Michael Zetterer?

Ron Ulrich: The goalkeeper vulture has been going on for more than a year now. Last spring, Kevin Trapp was already counted by the tabloid, even though he didn’t play as badly as portrayed. Eintracht could have stood behind their Europa League hero, given him another season as number one and then said goodbye to him “through the big gate” in the summer of 2026 (as they like to say). The public pressure and fuss surrounding Kaua Santos and the rush after his cruciate ligament injury did no one any good. But if Eintracht is convinced of the Brazilian, he must be the clear number one either immediately or from the summer – without probation. I always think about how Manuel Neuer basically threw the balls into the goal himself in his first real season and still got support. The example shows: The time for change at Eintracht must end.

Daniel Schmitt: For me, Santos. Not because I’m now completely convinced of him. But yes, because I think Michael Zetterer is a pretty average goalkeeper. Not bad, not good, but nothing special either. Santos could be the latter if he develops positively. We should stick with him for a while, actually for the rest of the season, and make a judgment about his future viability in the summer.

Mark Weidenfeller: At this point I like to swim against the current and say: I see no reason for the next roll backwards. Zetterer may not have held up great, but he was definitely rock solid. And if there’s something this team really needs right now, it’s consistency and security. Santos may be the better goalkeeper in terms of his talents, but at some point he must and will get his chance (again). But now, of all times, in January with seven games and a lot of unrest in the area? No. Zetterer should remain number one.

To the article

How do you see the role of coach Dino Toppmöller? Was the criticism justified?

Mark Weidenfeller: I have the feeling that Toppmöller is facing a difficult month. Personally, I don’t understand why he has so little credit with the fans and why he apparently comes under criticism very quickly internally. However, Toppmöller must be blamed for not keeping the defense tight, which had almost no changes in personnel, and for neglecting the basics. The lack of emotionality is also partly his fault. A weak start and the unavoidable exit from the Champions League could make life very difficult for Toppmöller. Deserved or not.

Ron Ulrich: When discussing coaches, I sometimes have the impression that Eintracht doesn’t take into account what kind of coach they currently have – and that others don’t exactly impose themselves. Dino Toppmöller played for Eintracht himself and was demonstrably a real fan of the club. He led Eintracht through the league into the Champions League for the first time and shaped individual strikers like Omar Marmoush in such a way that they brought the club a huge amount of money. In all this time, he has never publicly complained about having to start with a squad that is quite unfinished or full of holes after every transfer window. Of course, one can argue about the coach’s style of play and one or two public appearances. But I can’t really understand how some fans and observers, on the one hand, miss the typical Eintracht feeling and then would rather see an ex-Mainzer like ex-Leipzig player Marco Rose on the sidelines instead of the full-blooded Eintracht player!

Daniel Schmitt: A clear yes. I also had problems with some of the lineups; too often I missed the coach’s “let’s get rid of them” mentality. All in all, I couldn’t and still can’t understand the critics. Toppmöller had to struggle with too many adversities in the first half of the year. Starting with the squad, which – as the many winter changes show – was simply not optimally put together. In addition, there are a surprising number of injuries and mistakes made by top performers. And yet: For me it is clear that it will be difficult for the coach. The number of new additions alone increases the pressure on him, even if (as is usually the case) they need a few weeks or months to adapt.

To the article

What needs to be improved compared to the past few weeks?

Mark Weidenfeller: Board spokesman Axel Hellmann said the simple and true sentence in the club’s own podcast during the winter break: that this doesn’t feel like Eintracht Frankfurt football at the moment. Of course, feelings are always like that. Basically, despite the sporting highs, it still doesn’t take much to make (almost) everyone happy in Frankfurt. The team has to show more will again, generate more power and somehow set this stadium on fire. Easier said than done. But if football were easy, it would also be called handball. Or so.

Daniel Schmitt: In short, football.

Ron Ulrich: At the risk of being completely unpleasant to repeat yourself: Eintracht needs more fire, more snottiness, more attack, even more unpredictability. Basically, at Eintracht I talk too often about which player will bring in the next record transfer fee and when or will be the next big thing. Something like that can throw a cabin out of balance. And a few players don’t hurt either, for whom unity is everything at the moment.

On Friday it’s directly against BVB – what’s in it?

Daniel Schmitt: A 2-0, Ebnoutalib and Kalimuendo score at the front, Santos makes the octopus at the back and Toppmöller plays the Oli Glasner diver at the side. You can probably still fantasize…

Mark Weidenfeller: Start the football year with a home game against Borussia Dortmund. Honestly: Frankfurt football hearts, what more could you want? In times of duels against Hoffenheim, Heidenheim, Wolfs- or Augsburg, the encounter with BVB is always a feast for all the senses. Real love, real dislike, football can be so beautiful. The same pairing took place exactly a year ago, when the stadium boiled over with emotions in the first game without Marmoush. That’s exactly what has to happen again now, then everything is possible. Which, by the way, applies to the entire course of the season.

Ron Ulrich: Typical journalist move: What do I care about what I write from above! Eintracht beats Dortmund 2-1, double Ebnoutalib, Zetterer holds on to win, what a story!