With the Europa League returning this week, one game to keep an eye on will be Arsenal’s trip to Eintracht Frankfurt.
The game will see the Gunners, who were beaten in the final last season, taking on last year’s semi-finalists in Eintracht.
The Bundesliga side were one of the surprise packages of the tournament last year as their exciting brand of football and firepower upfront in Luka Jovic and Sebastien Haller provided plenty of entertainment for the neutrals.
They ended up falling at the semi-finals as eventual winners Chelsea required a 4-3 win on penalties to progress to the final.
It’s been a summer of change for Eintracht as the likes of Jovic and Haller have departed, but they will be looking to repeat last year’s run nonetheless, starting with a big performance against Arsenal in their opening group game.
Defender Erik Durm, who joined the club on a free transfer from Huddersfield this summer, is confident and thinks Arsenal will have to respect him and his teammates.
“Whether with goalkeeper Bernd Leno, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sokratis or Mesut Özil, I have almost played with half the Arsenal team,” he told Frankfurter Allgemeine.
“English teams are very physical; in England, the referees whistle less. I expect a very intensive game. Arsenal are technically well versed.
“But we certainly do not need to hide. We can definitely hold our own.
“Arsenal will have respect for us. What Eintracht has done internationally in the preseason has also left an impression in England. The team and their fans have come across very positively.”
