Already on the brink after just seven weeks: a major shake-up in the Bundesliga?

For one thing, Riera’s style of play is raising eyebrows. Whilst he has noticeably stabilised the defence – which was more than shaky under his predecessor Dino Toppmöller – the attack has suffered as a result. The team’s core has looked increasingly lacking in ideas in recent matches, as was the case in Sunday’s 1–2 defeat to Mainz and the 0–0 draw at FC St. Pauli. Even against Heidenheim, who are virtually relegated, they managed only a single goal. 

Riera also raised eyebrows with his press conference following the defeat in Mainz, as he described a win for his team in Rhineland-Palatinate as a “miracle” had Eintracht taken three points in Mainz. In doing so, he pointed out that Frankfurt had won just once in their last 21 away matches in Mainz. “Today we didn’t achieve the miracle,” he said, explaining: “Because I would say that winning here is a miracle – because in 21 games, Eintracht have won just once in Mainz. Once out of 21. That means if we’d come here and won, it would have been a miracle. So we didn’t achieve the miracle.”

On the other hand, support for Riera within the team is waning, as players reportedly view his tactical instructions as too complex. The numerous meetings, some of which are said to drag on for over an hour, are reportedly overwhelming the Frankfurt players. The decision to drop Mario Götze from the squad in Mainz, despite him reportedly being on the verge of a contract extension, and the public dressing-down following the defeat against Mainz 05 have also reportedly not gone down well with some members of the squad. 

"I can offer solutions and dictate the way we need to move. But I’m standing here on the touchline; I can’t play the final pass. You know, sometimes I see the gap, but the player doesn’t,” said Riera after the final whistle, adding: “That’s not meant to be a criticism of the players, but in the end, in the final quarter, it’s the quality of the players that counts. I always say that we coaches can teach the players everything, but in the end it’s the quality that counts.”

Riera had already caused a stir with his bold statements immediately after his arrival, emphasising, among other things: “If I told my players to jump off the balcony, they’d do it.” So far, however, his brash approach does not seem to be bearing fruit. The rather sobering record after seven games: three wins, two draws and two defeats – with a goal difference of 10:6. That works out at an average of 1.57 points per game. 

The gap between the team in seventh place and the European qualification spots is now eight points. Should SC Freiburg, currently in eighth place, win the DFB-Pokal, it is highly likely that the team will miss out on European competition with seven matchdays remaining. 

Freiburg face VfB Stuttgart in the semi-finals, with Bayer Leverkusen or FC Bayern Munich awaiting them in a potential final. A victory in Berlin would see SCF qualify directly for the Europa League. Should any of the other three semi-finalists win the cup, Frankfurt, as seventh-placed side, would still qualify for the Conference League. All three are currently ahead of SGE in the Bundesliga table.