It's time to get started.

“We're really looking forward to it,” said Oliver Glasner.

Finally no more test games, finally games that are really about something - for example in the DFB Cup.

On this Sunday (3.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the DFB Cup and on Sky) the time has come.

The harmony with their new coach Glasner has to deal with the ambitious third division club Waldhof Mannheim.

"This is a particularly hot area," warned Glasner on Friday during a press conference.

“We have the utmost respect.” The fact that there was a first-round cup match between Mannheim and Frankfurt two years ago and Eintracht struggled to prevail 5: 3 after being behind does not play a role for the 46-year-old football teacher: “Me Do not look back."

Ralf Weitbrecht

Sports editor.

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Glasner is the man for the here and now.

The coach who should lead last year's Bundesliga fifth into a successful future.

With a team that has had a five-week preparatory phase and about which the Austrian football teacher says: "The ambitious team has a very positive atmosphere."

Glasner, satisfied with the development process of his new players so far, emphasized on Friday "that we challenge them in our heads and bodies".

Football as a holistic experience.

Glasner has announced that it will stick to tried and tested patterns, true to the motto: What is good does not need to be changed significantly.

It is therefore conceivable “that we will play in 3-4-3 because the team feels very comfortable in this system.

If you're fifth in the table with 60 points, Oliver Glasner doesn't have to come and turn everything around.

We would like to keep the things that the team has done very well, and there are a lot of them, and also embellish them with our own ideas.

That's the art, ”says the new Eintracht trainer.

Much praise for Amin Younes

On this Saturday, he and the team will start the short trip from Hessen to Baden-Württemberg in the Electoral Palatinate. In the squad, of course: Sebastian Rode. The new captain, who recently had to step back a bit, can look back on an equally successful and promising week of training, as did Amin Younes. The German national player, repeatedly confronted with possible intentions to move to the Arab region, has worked particularly hard and has received a lot of praise from Glasner. "In one against one, Amin is outstanding."

Other offensive players like Daichi Kamada and Aymen Barkok were also verbally stroked by Glasner. “Daichi recognizes rooms and can find solutions. Aymen is very strong. ”And newcomer Jesper Lindstrøm has also earned his first merits through constant performance. “He has speed and a good depth.” All things and characteristics that make Glasner look to the coming weeks with optimism. "We have different options." Glasner's plan: "We want to be difficult to calculate."

A returnee and a newcomer alike have put themselves in a kind of pole position.

Both Danny da Costa, on loan to Bundesliga neighbors Mainz 05 last season, where he made a significant contribution to staying in the class, and Christopher Lenz, who moved from Union Berlin to Eintracht, have the best chances of immediately being first choice on the right and left .

First choice in goal - this question does not arise.

Kevin Trapp is and remains the undisputed top dog between the posts.

Glasner didn't hesitate for a second.

"We have clear communication there," he said and confirmed that Diant Ramaj will sit on the bench as a substitute.

And the third in the league?

“Jens Grahl supports them and will always be there when we need him.

This is also a great constellation for Diant. "

In order to be ready for the first serious and really important game of this summer, Glasner made no distinctions.

The Waldhof-Elf, already in action twice in the third division, was studied and analyzed according to every trick in the book.

"We prepared like every Bundesliga or international game," said Glasner.

"In the end it is up to us to deliver a highly concentrated performance in order to go home as the winner."

Glasner did not hide the fact that "I will also be a bit excited on Sunday because a new task is beginning for me too".

A task that the Austrian approaches with a familiar ritual that has been tried and tested for years.

He said he was not superstitious.

But still, Glasner will do it as always.

"I always shave on matchday because my beard is graying."