It lasted until the very end.

The lot of unity was drawn last.

It was already clear that coach Oliver Glasner's team had a tough nut to crack.

In the DFB Cup, the first-class Frankfurt football players have to deal with third-division champions 1. FC Magdeburg.

"That's one of the most difficult draws you could get in the first round of the cup," said Markus Krösche after the draw on Sunday evening.

Ralph Weitbrecht

sports editor.

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"Playing against a second division promoted player in front of a loud crowd is going to be a challenge," added Eintracht's sports director.

"But our goal is very clear: we really want to get through the next round and have a better cup season than we did last time."

Ever against Magdeburg

The memories of the first competitive games of a new season are sometimes sobering for Eintracht.

The fourth-rate regional league players of SSV Ulm were eliminated in round one at the start of the Adi Hütter era in summer 2018.

And when Glasner took over from his Austrian compatriot in 2021, the third-class Mannheim Waldhof boys put an early end to the Frankfurt cup ambitions.

This is to change now.

Once before, six years ago, Eintracht had to assert themselves in Magdeburg – and at that time stretched to the extreme.

It was only after a penalty shoot-out that they made it into the second round.

"Super Lot"

So now the reunion with the strong Magdeburg team, who are happy about a "super draw".

At least that's what Otmar Schork said, an old acquaintance in the Rhine-Main area.

The 64-year-old managed the sporting fortunes of VfR Bürstadt for four years.

Before moving to 1. FC in Saxony-Anhalt in 2020, he was the driving force at second division club SV Sandhausen for 15 years.

"With Eintracht we got the most attractive and difficult opponents," said Schork, who was promoted to sports director in Magdeburg, and spoke of a "great challenge".

It is played on the last weekend in July.

In Helsinki against Real

Almost two weeks later - Eintracht had already bought their travel ticket for the Supercup on August 10th in Helsinki by winning the Europa League final against Glasgow Rangers - they are off to Finland.

There in the Olympic Stadium there will be another cracker in this football year 2022, which is so rich in high-quality games.

Eintracht in the Supercup against Real Madrid.

The first meeting since the state championship final in 1960. At that time, the Hessians had to admit defeat to the Spaniards in a game dubbed the game of the century 3:7.

135,000 spectators were in Glasgow's Hampden Park.

A maximum of 36,200 visitors are possible in Helsinki.

"Serious problems" in Seville

Meanwhile, Eintracht, Rangers and the fan organization "Football Supporters Europe" again criticized the organization of the Europa League final on Monday.

"The organizational weaknesses could inevitably have led to other serious problems that night, which could only be avoided thanks to the prudence and mutual respect of both fan camps," said a statement on the final in Seville on May 18.

All three parties want to create a report aimed at the European Football Union and the authorities in Spain.

“Fans put a lot of effort, time and money into following and supporting their teams across Europe.

As such, they expect to be treated with respect and dignity when attending football matches," the statement said.

"This expectation was not even remotely fulfilled during the final in Seville."