Key Takeaways
- Head coach Albert Riera and forward Jonathan Burkardt are locked in a dispute over the player’s physical condition and body fat levels.
- Burkardt bypassed the manager to complain to sporting director Markus Krösche after receiving criticism via an assistant rather than face-to-face.
- Riera faces mounting pressure from the dressing room over his leadership style just three months into his tenure at the German club.
Eintracht Frankfurt are battling serious difficulties away from the pitch as well as on it. A significant rift has opened between head coach Albert Riera and star striker Jonathan Burkardt.
German publication Bild reports that the Spanish manager was unhappy with the striker’s physical statistics. He believed the 25-year-old carried too much body fat. Rather than speak to Burkardt directly, Riera instructed his assistant Jan Fießer to deliver a stern warning to the player.
Burkardt strongly disliked this indirect approach. He would have preferred a private conversation with the manager. The forward believes he is completely match-fit and feels the coach’s assessment was exaggerated.
The tension increased when Riera also criticised Burkardt’s efforts in defence. As a result, the striker asked his agent to contact Markus Krösche, who serves as the club’s sporting director. Krösche then demanded an explanation from Riera. According to Bild, this intervention upset the Spanish coach greatly.
Later, Riera allegedly had a brief word with Burkardt in the corridor. He accused the player of causing an awkward meeting with the club chief. This only deepened the divide between the two.
The conflict may explain why Burkardt started on the substitutes’ bench during the weekend’s 1-1 draw with FC Augsburg. He only entered the pitch for the closing minutes of the match.
Riera took charge approximately three months ago. Several squad members are reportedly unhappy with his man-management style, and pressure on the manager is growing rapidly.