German Cup Final: Departing boss Glasner hopes Frankfurt ‘sparkle’ one last time

Glasner, who took Frankfurt to a Europa League triumph last season, was sacked in May, but the club let him stay on until after Saturday’s final.

REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: Eintracht Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner before a match against Schalke in the Bundesliga. | Photo Credit: THILO SCHMUELGEN/ REUTERS

Outgoing Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner said on Friday he will not think about his future “until the final whistle” ahead of Saturday’s German Cup final clash with RB Leipzig.

Glasner, who took Frankfurt to a Europa League triumph last season, was sacked in May, but the club let him stay on until after Saturday’s final.

“I don’t think it will matter to me until the final whistle” Glasner said in Berlin on Friday, explaining “I’ve had enough to do, Leipzig have kept me busy.”

“I will enjoy the evening,” said the Austrian manager. “The game is important tomorrow, not Oliver Glasner.”

Frankfurt’s Europa League win took it to the Champions League for the first time in its history this season.

Despite finishing seventh in the league this season, a win on Saturday would see it qualify for the Europa League once more.

Frankfurt is chasing its sixth German Cup title, which would draw it level with Werder Bremen as having the equal second most titles after Bayern Munich’s 20.

Sitting next to the golden trophy at Friday’s press conference, Glasner took a glance at it and told reporters “everyone wants to take it home -- it sparkles the same for everyone”.

Born on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Eintracht captain Sebastian Rode said he had positive memories of the final, which he won in 2016 with Bayern and in 2017 with Dortmund.

“It brings back good memories, I’ve been here twice and I’ve won both times.”

Glasner’s side face holders Leipzig, who last year beat Freiburg on penalties to lift its first ever major silverware.

Leipzig manager Marco Rose, who was installed mid season and did not coach the Red Bulls to the title in 2022, said: “We’re here to win the thing -- we want to go that final step.”

Rose said his side would not be overawed despite facing a crowd which is likely to be heavily pro-Frankfurt in the German capital.

Frankfurt fans are known for travelling, having bought an estimated 25,000 tickets for a game at Barcelona’s Camp Nou.

“We know Frankfurt fans are an inventive bunch and find their way to get tickets, but we’ve experienced things like that before,” said Rose.

“We’ll also have a couple of Leipzig fans in the stadium.”