If the first Bundesliga matchday of the new season was scheduled for this Saturday, “I would be there”.

That said Eintracht captain Sebastian Rode on Friday after the training session in the morning.

But the worst case scenario for the Europa League winner is the DFB Cup first round game on August 1 in Magdeburg.

George Daniels

Editor in the sports department

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Frankfurt are in the final stages of preparing for the season.

The program in the final sprint this Saturday (3 p.m. on Sport1, Sky Sport News HD and eintracht.tv) includes a “top-class test”: Eintracht will face off against Ajax Amsterdam in the fifth game of the pre-season.

Because both clubs are represented in the Champions League, there is "premier class air" in Grödig, where the game will take place, according to the Frankfurt side.

Rode renounces the change of air.

The defensive midfielder was not part of the squad that flew to Salzburg on a chartered plane on Friday because his knee "reacted a bit" after the training camp in Austria.

Maybe because of the heat too, he added.

Either way: Rode will train alone in the weight room this Saturday at the professional camp.

Rode "optimistic" for the DFB Cup

Already on Friday at the unit on the field, he did not complete the full program.

While his teammates were busy shooting and heading at goal after cross balls, Rode was doing stretching exercises on the sidelines.

This week "didn't go quite well for him," he said.

However, there is no reason to worry.

Next Tuesday, at the start of the new training week, the captain wants to be "fully available" again.

Then the countdown to the first competitive game begins.

Rode said he was "very optimistic" about being there in Magdeburg.

The fact that he now and then sits out and trains individually is not new.

The leading player has to pay attention to the signals from his body, which has been strained by professional sport.

He senses when caution is called for in his own affairs.

Already in the pre-season he concentrated on being able to take part in the important encounters.

After that, the training control was directed at him.

"If I have a bad feeling, I can say to the coach: It might not make sense today," Rode reported about the internal processes.

In addition, a role is played in the decisions as to how the training should take place, whether a longer game or many stopping movements are planned.

Coach Oliver Glasner has no problem taking his captain's needs into consideration.

Because when Rode is in full possession of his strength, he is a valuable worker on the pitch.

Rode cannot say today how many games he will play in the new round.

Just this much: "I don't think I'll often play three games in one week."

Evan Ndicka was absent from the training ground on Friday.

The French are said to be plagued by calf problems.

AC Milan, meanwhile, have officially registered their interest in signing Ndicka with Eintracht.

And Filip Kostic is said to be on West Ham United's shopping list.

But with regard to his two teammates, Rode has the feeling "that they want to stay in Frankfurt".

The captain attests to the high quality of the new squad.

"Due to the competitive situation, each of us has to step on the gas," said Rode.

"I don't think that the sloppiness comes in with us."