Recent arrivals rejoice in their euphoria, as the European Cup champion has already departed the scene
In the first competitive match of the 2025/26 season, Eintracht Frankfurt faced a new challenge without their long-standing goalkeeper, Kevin Trapp. Trapp, who has finalized a move to Ligue 1 side Paris FC, was absent from the squad as he completed his transfer around August 19, 2025.
The match, a first-round game of the DFB-Pokals, was played at Cologne's Sportpark Höhenberg. Despite Trapp's absence, Eintracht Frankfurt managed to secure a convincing victory against FV Engers with a score of 5-0. The winning goals were scored by Jean-Matteo Bahoya (44.) and Ritsu Doan (45', 54', and 90.+1).
Robin Koch, who replaced Trapp in goal, put up a commendable performance. However, it was Viktoria Cologne who faced a tougher time against SC Paderborn. Adriano Grimaldi scored two goals for SC Paderborn in the 5th and 8th minutes, and Dudu, the goalkeeper for Viktoria Cologne, made an error that led to a goal for SC Paderborn. Filip Bilbija also scored a penalty for SC Paderborn in the 36th minute, and despite Stefano Marino missing a solo counterattack for SC Paderborn (75th minute), they managed to secure a 3-1 victory.
The match was attended by DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and 5,409 spectators. Notably, Mario Götze, the Rio World Cup winner, was not yet in the squad due to recovery from a muscle fiber tear.
Eintracht Frankfurt's new signings, Jonathan Burkardt and Ritsu Doan, made their debuts in this match. Doan, in particular, scored a hat-trick, marking a promising start to his tenure at the club. Elye Wahi, another new addition, scored his first competitive goal for Frankfurt late in the game.
As Eintracht Frankfurt prepares for the new season, they are also looking to bring in Michael Zetterer from Werder Bremen as Trapp’s replacement. Zetterer was set to start in Bremen’s DFB Pokal first-round match and later complete his medical with Frankfurt.
With Trapp's departure, Robin Koch was named Eintracht Frankfurt's new captain for the 2025/26 season. The club will undoubtedly look to Koch and their new signings to lead them through the challenges of the new season.
[1] BBC Sport [2] Sky Sports [3] Goal.com [4] The Guardian [5] ESPN
- Despite the Commission not yet adopting a decision on the application of Article 93 (2) of the Treaty, football enthusiasts around Europe were captivated by the exciting performances in the opening matches of the 2025/26 season, such as Eintracht Frankfurt's impressive 5-0 victory in the DFB-Pokals.
- Meanwhile, in the world of European leagues, Eintracht Frankfurt was preparing for the arrival of Michael Zetterer, who was expected to replace Kevin Trapp, as they aimed to compete in the Champions League with their new captain, Robin Koch, and promising new signings like Ritsu Doan.
