Eintracht Frankfurt began their pre-season schedule with a statement 7-1 victory over fifth-tier opponents FC Gießen, hours after completing the signing of Noel Aseko from Bayern Munich. The match marked the first fixture of Adi Hütter’s second spell in charge, with the Austrian utilising two completely different line-ups across either half.
Hütter’s return starts with seven-goal show
The Bundesliga side established immediate control. Winter acquisition Younes Ebnoutalib opened the scoring in the tenth minute against the club he represented during the 2024/25 campaign. Jonathan Burkardt, who had a shaky relationship with former coach Albert Riera, subsequently found the net twice before the interval to extend Frankfurt’s advantage and signal a fresh start under new management.
United States youth international Marvin Dills also converted during a first-half blitz that sent Hütter’s side into the break with a four-goal cushion. The Austrian coach, who was also at the helm when Frankfurt last faced Gießen seven years ago, altered his entire personnel for the second period.
Second-half rotations maintain momentum
Summer arrival Malik Pimpong announced his arrival with a goal twelve minutes into his debut, while Love Arrhov and Keita Kosugi added further strikes to push the advantage to seven. The Oberliga Hessen outfit, who competed in the same division as Frankfurt’s reserve team last term, managed a consolation goal late in the contest.
The fixture represented a first opportunity for several squad members to impress the returning Hütter, who has replaced Riera in the dugout. Ebnoutalib’s participation came despite his recent involvement with Morocco at the World Cup quarter-final stage, with the midfielder reporting promptly for pre-season duties rather than taking extended leave.
Busy schedule ahead
Frankfurt will contest four additional friendly matches before commencing competitive action. Their campaign opens with a DFB-Pokal first-round trip to SC St. Tönis, followed by a Bundesliga opener away at Union Berlin when the 2026/27 season begins.