Mario Götze has returned to team training with Eintracht Frankfurt after an ear infection. The 34-year-old 2014 World Cup winner missed the 2-2 draw at SC Paderborn last Saturday, which also meant he sat out the duel against his younger brother Felix. During the ongoing international break, the tenth-placed club is missing a total of 13 first-team players on national team duty, significantly reducing the training group.
The session on Tuesday at Deutsche Bank Park lasted around 100 minutes and was mostly held in glorious sunshine. Aside from the absent internationals, midfielder Otávio was also not present as he was involved in the Bundesliga Talent Series. Captain Robin Koch, winger Ansgar Knauff and striker Jessic Ngankam completed an individual programme and were not on the pitch with the main squad. Knauff and Koch had both featured in Paderborn.
U21 players bolster the group
From the U21s, Henrik Peter and George Didoss supplemented the training, meaning ten outfield players worked on the grass. Goalkeepers Noah Atubolu, Kaua Santos and Jens Grahl trained separately with goalkeeping coach Jan Zimmermann initially before joining the team drills. In small-sided games in tight spaces, often with numerical advantages in formats up to five-a-side, Jonny Burkardt showed his finishing touch. The striker, who scored the late equaliser in Paderborn, netted several times. Burkardt now has five Bundesliga goals this season.
The remaining players will train again on Wednesday and Thursday before days off. Specific preparations for the next league match begin on Tuesday, 17 November. The opponent is TSG Hoffenheim, with kick-off at Deutsche Bank Park on Saturday, 21 November at 15:30 CET. Eintracht Frankfurt currently sits tenth in the Bundesliga table with 14 points, just three points off the European places. The upcoming fixtures after the break will be key for the season's direction.
Götze's return is a positive sign for a team that has managed only one win in its last five league matches. His creativity and experience will be needed in the coming phase. The individual work for Knauff, Koch and Ngankam aims to optimise their fitness following the recent match load. The home game against Hoffenheim in one week marks the restart.
