He couldn't escape the calls.

And he didn't want it either: "Hinti, Hinti!" The fans were over the moon.

And yes, after the furious football final against Real Betis, her darling left the closed celebration unit of Eintracht, walked a few meters towards the loudly singing supporters in the north-west curve – and clapped.

Martin Hinteregger paid his respects to the fans and, to a certain extent, to himself and his team.

Ralph Weitbrecht

sports editor.

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Another heart-stopping final, another thrilling game in the Europa League and another happy ending for Eintracht.

Coach Oliver Glasner's team is now in the quarter-finals of their favorite competition.

And what an enemy awaits there!

On April 7th and 14th it is now against FC Barcelona.

This was the result of the draw that was made on Friday afternoon at the Swiss headquarters of the European Football Union.

Should Eintracht prevail, they would meet West Ham United's quarter-final winners against Olympique Lyon in the semi-finals.

music of the future.

What matters is the present.

And according to Glasner, it was in the best of tones.

"You only experience something like that in football," said the Eintracht coach, who ran onto the pitch immediately after the final whistle.

“In the 90th minute, the football world collapses.

And in the 120th minute it's pink again.” Pink thanks to Hinteregger.

Certainly: It wasn't just the Austrian who brought the ball over the line after a free kick by Filip Kostic in the very last moment of this round of 16 thriller (120+1).

Betis pro Guido Rodriguez also helped a bit.

But in the frenzy of the late 1-1 after extra time, which was enough for the quarter-finals after the 2-1 win in Seville, everything spoke for Hinteregger.

For the man who missed the decisive penalty three years ago at London's Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea then advanced to the Europa League final, not the unity it also deserved.

"He had difficult months"

So now this renewed effort by the Carinthian.

He is now 29 years old.

His value for Eintracht as an uncompromising sweeper is still very high.

The attentive Hinteregger was also careful against Betis where he had to be careful.

He usually cleared with long shots instead of shining with a fine blade.

Others did.

For example, Djibril Sov.

The Swiss is in the form of his life, and against the ball-safe Spaniards Sow was the driving force and ball distributor that Eintracht needed on this emotional European Cup night.

Eintracht hit the bar and touched the post.

But when it got really tight and the signals were for penalties, Hinteregger was there.

His trainer, compatriot and supporter Glasner said: "Martin forced it with everything he had.

He even risked injury.

I'm happy for him as he's had a difficult few months."

Gone, forgotten.

Eintracht has once again provided a great Europa League evening – and must switch as soon as possible.

Already this Sunday (3.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on DAZN) it is important to assert oneself in the away game at RB Leipzig in the core business of the Bundesliga.

With the momentum and the emotions on Thursday, no insurmountable task for Hinteregger and Eintracht.