“I want to have fun and have fun on the pitch again (…) I want to get into the rhythm, learn from my colleagues and adapt to the intensity of the German championship. It’s the coach who will decide whether I start or not. I try to prepare as best as I can and be there when the team needs me (…) I see myself as a striker who plays the game and at the same time looks for depth and creates links between his teammates. I move a lot in spaces, I like to dribble and provide assists as well as goals”. This is what Hugo Ekitike said a few hours after his arrival in Frankfurt. Determined to relaunch in the Eagles jersey after a missed meeting at Paris Saint-Germain, the former Stade de Reims striker is nevertheless experiencing a contrasting debut across the Rhine, to say the least.
63 minutes of play for Ekitike, 21 for Vitinha!
Loaned with an option to buy from the current sixth place in the Bundesliga, the 21-year-old striker has, for the moment, not really had the opportunity to express himself. The situation is simple. Since his arrival in Germany, the 1m89 right-hander, under contract with the Rouge et Bleu until June 2027, has only played 63 minutes of play in all competitions. Coming into play against Cologne for his first appearance in the Frankfurt jersey on February 3, the center forward wearing the number 11 on his back has since only benefited from a few parts of the match: 25 minutes of play against Bochum on the 21st day, 25 others against Union Saint-Gilloise during the draw conceded in the Europa Conference League and a small minute of play gleaned this weekend against Fribourg. A low use which does not fail to make people talk.
At the Europa-Park Stadion on Sunday afternoon, Ekitike once again took his place on the bench. Dino Toppmöller, the Eagles coach, has in fact decided to bet on Sasa Kalajdzic, the Austrian striker on loan from Wolverhampton this winter. Even more surprising, it was Ansgar Knauff, a trained right winger, who appeared on the pitch after the injury of Frankfurt’s number 9, injured after 10 minutes and suffering a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. which should keep him away from the field for the rest of the season. A choice that was difficult to understand but ultimately paid off since the former Borussia Dortmund player scored twice allowing his team to snatch a point from the draw. Chasing his brakes, the native of Reims succeeded, despite everything, Farès Chaïbi for the final seconds of this spectacular match. Not enough, however, to give him the opportunity to open his goal counter (0 goals, 0 assists in 4 matches in all competitions). Relegated, for the moment, to replacement status, Ekitike logically raises several questions. The long-term absence of Sasa Kalajdzic, injured in cruciate ligaments for the third time in his career and out until the end of the season, could however open doors for Ekitike.
Ignition delay…
Why isn’t Eintracht Frankfurt totally counting on him? Is he ready physically after a long period without playing in the French capital? A first explanatory factor is perhaps located here. Lately, the daily Bild affirmed, in this respect, that the first feedback on the player’s physical form was hardly positive. Without burdening its winter recruit and aware of the past experience of its new protégé – as a reminder Ekitike could sometimes not use the weight room of the Parisian club as he wanted – the German team therefore wishes to take it slowly, which is more is after detecting some muscular problems during the first workouts. One thing is certain and while waiting to be 100% ready, Ekitike must be patient. Shy beginnings and a huge contrast compared to the motivation displayed by the person concerned during his presentation conference. “Coming here is the right choice. The most important thing is to be able to express myself and show everything I learned in Paris during a year and a half”.
If the observation will certainly not console him, the situation currently experienced by Hugo Ekitike nevertheless recalls that of another sacrificed from Ligue 1 this winter. Loaned by OM with a purchase option estimated at 25 million euros, Vitinha (23) is also having a complicated start with Genoa. Since his signing on the last day of the transfer window, the Portuguese striker (6 goals and 4 goals in 43 matches with Marseille) has been content with three short matches in Serie A. He initially played a little less of a quarter of an hour at Empoli before settling for just a minute of play against Atalanta Bergamo. On Sunday, his coach Alberto Gilardino launched him seven minutes from the final whistle on the Naples field when his team was leading. Unfortunately for Genoa number 9, his team finally conceded the equalizer in the very last moments (1-1). Warned of a yellow card in added time, the former Braga player did not find the key to restore the advantage to his team.
Mute in the face of goal, the one who sees his contract run until June 2027 in the Marseille city must also manage strong competition on the Rossoblu offensive front. With Mateo Retegui and Albert Gudmundsson, now the starters, the 1m78 right-hander does not seem (yet) to fully fit into his coach’s plans. Present at a press conference last Friday, the Italian Grifone technician nevertheless reassured about the situation of his new recruit. “He’s a second striker, he’s slotted into this group perfectly and that’s the skill of the boys who have been here the longest in their attempt to create a strong identity. Those who arrive from other teams manage to integrate in the best way. In the last 20-25 meters he took off and these are considerations that I make as in the entire offensive department.. Determined to relaunch it and thus exercise the option to better resell it in the medium term, as recalled La Gazzetta dello Sport, Genoa is, for the moment, managing its attacker sparingly. Just like Hugo Ekitike, we will therefore have to wait a little longer before seeing Vitinha evolve at the highest level…
