When feelings really broke out after the final whistle on this exhilarating football evening and thousands of fans stormed onto the pitch, Adi Hütter, with the Gladbachers opponents on Sunday in the Bundesliga (3.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on DAZN ), no longer in his seat in the Frankfurt stadium. The coach who once made the decision at Eintracht out of conviction: "Tuta is the designated successor to David Abraham."

Ralph Weitbrecht

sports editor.

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A young Brazilian to replace the experienced Argentine, the long-time Eintracht captain who ended his career at Frankfurt in January 2021?

The plan worked – and even when it was important in the decisive knockout game against West Ham United not only to be on the right back but also in the middle of the ball, the now 22-year-old Tuta fulfilled this job with flying colours.

But not just him alone.

Oliver Glasner, the current coach of Eintracht, had to change his defense early on in this emotionally exciting semi-final duel against the English.

Because his Austrian compatriot and defender Martin Hinteregger could not play from the seventh minute due to an injury and will not play at all this season due to the severity of the muscle injury, Glasner ordered the versatile Tuta into the centre.

There have long been interested parties

Substitute Almamy Touré moved to the right – and Evan Ndicka stayed where he has been for Eintracht for many years, guaranteeing great work.

The Frenchman made sure that the English, who were only ten players early on because they were sent off, did not develop on the left.

Ndicka did this so well and reliably and with such precision that it might be difficult to see him in Eintracht's kit for any length of time.

There have long been interested parties in other European countries who would secure the playing and defensive services of the 22-year-old professional like Tuta.

Take Newcastle United, one of those nouveau riche Premier League clubs.

Economically, more is possible in football on the island than in Germany.

But here, in the heart of Europe, there are soft factors such as team spirit, cohesion and success that should not be underestimated for players like Ndicka.

The fact that Eintracht has made it to the final in Seville after twelve unbeaten games in a row in their famous European campaign can play into the club's cards in poker for Ndicka.

Ndicka has been on the ball for Eintracht since the summer of 2018. When he came to Frankfurt from Auxerre, the then sports director Fredi Bobic was full of praise for the youngster.

"He's good at football, very fast and good in the air." Skills that Ndicka has since refined more and more at Eintracht.

He already has four of his five years of contract behind him.

This summer he could be looking for a new challenge - but he doesn't have to.

Ndicka had another strong game against West Ham.

For the Hammers it was almost impossible to get through against him.

And when the English managed to penetrate the Frankfurt penalty area in a dangerous way, the Frenchman was the savior in need.

So in the 44th minute of the game, when Ndicka cleared an excellent goal chance for Kurt Zouma on the line.

West Ham had hit aluminum three times in the first leg at London's Olympic Stadium.

In the second leg, when it finally counted and Eintracht was in an excellent starting position thanks to the 2-1 away win, these moments of danger no longer existed.

Ndicka and Tuta, the two uncompromising, game-loving sweepers, played a big part in that.

Already on the evening of this emotional game there were several calls from the fans for and "with Jürgen Grabowski".

The day after, Eintracht paid homage to their greatest player, captain of the 1980 UEFA Cup-winning side.

The club's website said: "With Jürgen.

For Jurgen.

This year.” In the photo, enthusiastic Eintracht players – and the trophy, with a picture of the idol, who died this spring at the age of 77.

Eintracht with his hand on the trophy: Jürgen Grabowski would have liked that – just as Eintracht likes the fact that the dream trip through Europe is continuing.

Betis, Barcelona, ​​West Ham: all three opponents in the knockout stages of the competition were swept away by the force of unity and defeated.

A strong performance by the Frankfurt collective, in which the two defensive specialists Evan Ndicka and Tuta have long since developed and established themselves as indispensable figures.

The two are important building blocks in the Eintracht structure and full of anticipation that the route to the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán in Seville will go into its last, final stage.