Frankfurt boss makes honest admission about Barcelona’s dominance – ‘They captivated the whole of Europe’
Eintracht Frankfurt head coach Dino Toppmoller addressed the media ahead of what promises to be a defining night in the Champions League, as his side prepare to walk into the Spotify Camp Nou to take on Hansi Flick’s Barcelona.
With Frankfurt still fighting to keep their hopes alive for a place in the playoff round, the pressure surrounding the fixture has been steadily rising.
During the press interaction, Toppmoller made it clear that his team are aware of the mountain they must climb.
Before offering his view on Barcelona’s current status, he reflected on just how dominant the Catalan side have been recently.
“Together with Paris Saint-Germain, they captivated the whole of Europe last season and currently lead La Liga,” he began saying as quoted by SPORT.
Barcelona’s offensive quality
Toppmoller then shifted his attention to the quality in Barcelona’s frontline, emphasising that his players must be prepared for a battle that will test them physically and mentally.
Dino Toppmoller is aware of Barcelona’s quality. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
“We face a formidable attack. We will have to suffer, run a lot and support each other,” he noted.
The conversation then naturally turned to one of Barcelona’s brightest talents, Lamine Yamal, whose versatility has been a major talking point after the Real Betis game.
Speaking about the teenager and the possibility of him appearing centrally behind the striker, Toppmoller noted before his quote that Yamal’s profile makes preparation difficult for any opponent.
“He has a world-class quality in all his positions. Lately, he has played a lot on the wing, but he can also play in the centre. We have to defend him collectively.”
To close the conference, Toppmoller reflected briefly on a memorable chapter from 2022, the iconic German ‘invasion’ in the Europa League, when Eintracht supporters filled Barcelona’s stadium.
After referencing the event, he concluded with, “I saw it on television, it was a great experience, without a doubt, but it is already history, a very beautiful story.”
