Flipping through the almanacs, up pops the ‘treat’ you might not expect. Yes, because West Ham and Eintracht Frankfurt have faced each other in a European semi-final before. Which, coincidentally, was the last time the Hammers went that far in a continental event. It was the 1975-76 Cup Winners’ Cup and the London club managed to get through by overturning their first leg defeat in Germany.
Yet that tournament did not have a happy ending for West Ham, whose dreams of glory were dashed in the Brussels final against Belgium’s Anderlecht. Different era, different stories, different football. But for both represents a huge opportunity not only to revive those memories but to return to assert themselves at high levels even in the international arena after mediocre years. Especially for the English, who have only a few seasons ago begun to taste the thrill of the top flight again, returning to Europe after more than a decade. Europe has now become the top priority for David Moyes’ men, to the detriment of a championship that currently sees them seventh and lagging behind in the race for fourth place. Outside of England, however, West Ham are capable of anything and they have demonstrated this in the previous two rounds against two potential favourites to win the title such as Sevilla and Lyon, who came from behind thanks to a sumptuous performance in the return match.
A bit like the Germans, disappointing in the Bundesliga – ninth and out of everything – but extremely resilient in the Europa League. Oliver Glasner’s team sent home none other than the mighty Barcelona in the quarter-finals, scoring an epic victory in the Camp Nou (2-3) in front of some thirty thousand fans who had travelled from Frankfurt. The one against the blaugrana was the Rossoneri’s only success in their last nine matches.
The Prediction
West Ham and Eintracht Frankfurt are the two outsiders in the Europa League 2021-22 and are likely to produce an extremely balanced and spectacular double-header. The cup is the priority for both, and relying on their recent mixed results in the league could prove to be a mistake. In the London match, we see West Ham as slight favourites in a lively, goal-scoring affair, with each side likely to score at least one.
West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt matchday squad
WEST HAM (3-4-2-1): Areola; Johnson, Dawson, Cresswell; Coufal, Soucek, Rice, Masuaku; Fornals, Bowen; Antonio.
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (3-4-2-1): Trapp; Tuta, Hinteregger, Hasebe; Knauff, Sow, Rode, Kostic; Kamada, Lindstrom; Santos Borré.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-2