Stay the course – even in the premier class.

"During our away win at Betis, I felt: Something's going on.

We can win the Europa League.” Markus Krösche was right.

Eintracht has actually won a European Cup for the first time in 42 years - and the Frankfurt sports director also has clear ideas for what follows now after the summer break.

"We want to get through the group stage of the Champions League.

That's our goal," said Krösche on Monday.

Ralph Weitbrecht

sports editor.

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Time to take stock.

Time to reflect on what Eintracht has achieved in the past season and how things should continue in the future when coach Oliver Glasner's team meets again for the first time on June 27th after the holiday at the Frankfurt Arena for the start of training.

It is undisputed: “What we experienced was extraordinary.

These are events that remain.

We played an outstanding Europa League season," said Krösche, adding: "The Bundesliga season was very modest and the DFB Cup was bad."

“We are very far from the ideal”

Krösche cannot agree that Eintracht has shown an “average, mixed performance” in its core business, the Bundesliga.

“We are not satisfied with that at all, we have to work on that.

We are very far away from the ideal.” The aim should be to “play at a really good level in all three competitions in the future.

To do this, we occasionally have to find new people for one position or another.”

Squad expansion with a sense of proportion - Krösche does not want to rush anything and will continue to hold on to the course that has been taken.

In concrete terms, this means that Eintracht will continue to rely on transfer income in the future and at the same time strive to keep important players.

Speaking of Martin Hinteregger: the Austrian has repeatedly been told that his heyday at Eintracht could be coming to an end.

Krösche's answer: "None of us told him to go.

He still has a contract until mid-2024, he's a very important player for us."

"High identification with the club"

It was particularly painful for the defense chief that he was unable to play an active role in the final victory in Seville against Glasgow Rangers due to injury.

Martin Hinteregger symbolizes what sports director Krösche also emphasized in his balance sheet.

“The fact that the team acts as a team is extraordinary.

Personal goals are set back, everyone is in a positive mood.” Krösche is certain: “Our players have a high level of identification with the club.

And some of them have fallen in love with Eintracht again.”

He's said it before, and he's repeated it again, emulating President Peter Fischer: "We don't want a hara-kiri course," said Krösche, and once again stood in front of the professionals.

"We are convinced of every single player."