Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi Huetter has said that on Thursday’s semifinal first leg against Chelsea will be the toughest challenge yet on his team’s epic Europa League journey this season.
Frankfurt have knocked out the likes of Marseille, Inter Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk and Benfica on their way to a first European semifinal in nearly 40 years, but Huetter said on Wednesday that Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea were a &class above& such opponents.
&They are favourites, there is no doubt about it,& said Huetter.
&We need to do everything right, and play bravely and positively.&
Huetter, 49, claimed to be an admirer of Maurizio Sarri in an interview with kicker last year, and he said he was looking forward to his first meeting with the Italian.
The Frankfurt coach said he had a plan to deal with Chelsea, and identified Belgian star Eden Hazard as the biggest threat.
&We will have to try and play him out of the game, because he is one of the three best wingers in the world in my opinion,& said Huetter.
Yet he also warned that Chelsea were a &Champions League level team& who had quality all over the pitch.
&With players like David Luiz, Cesar Azpilicueta, Gonzalo Higuain, they have an unbelievable amount of experience,& he said.
&We are the most inexperienced team in the semifinals, but we deserve to be here nonetheless.&
Frankfurt have won hearts across Europe with their fearless football and passionate support in the Europa League this season.
&We are like Ajax in the Champions League, nobody expected us to be in the semifinals ahead of the season,& said Huetter.
&It has been a long, hard road to get here, and the fans have given us incredible support,& he said.
