Masterclass 2 min read

Adi Hütter on beating Bayern Munich

Adi Hütter on beating Bayern Munich
Photography by Philip Haynes
Author
Tony Hodson
Published on
June 23 2023

bundesliga, february 20 2021

Eintracht Frankfurt 2Bayern Munich 1

Kamada (12)
Younes (31)

Lewandowski (53)

In the third and final season of his successful spell at Eintracht Frankfurt, the two-time German coach of the year Adi Hütter came agonisingly close to leading the club into the Champions League for the first time since they were beaten finalists in the 1960 European Cup.

The team would ultimately finish fifth in the 2020/21 Bundesliga, one point behind VfL Wolfsburg, but during an 11-game unbeaten spell between December and February Eintracht were arguably the best team in German football. That was perhaps best summed up by the last game in that run – a 2-1 home win against the then European champions, Bayern Munich.

Hütter got the better of Bayern manager Hansi Flick (background) in a huge win for his Frankfurt team Ronald Wittek - Pool/Getty Images

In this exclusive Masterclass with the Coaches’ Voice, Hütter – a league-winning coach with Red Bull Salzburg in his native Austria and Young Boys in Switzerland – describes the tactical approach that helped his team into a 2-0 half-time lead Bayern were unable to overcome.

Disrupting the Bayern build

He explains how he wanted his team to press high and put the usually dominant Bayern build-up under pressure – not just to prevent their dangerous front three from getting the ball, but also to ensure Eintracht gained possession as close to the Bayern goal as possible. In possession, he reveals why he liked to play with two number 10s behind a single striker, and why his two wing-backs on the day played very different roles to maximise their respective qualities.

It’s a fascinating Masterclass from an experienced and successful European coach who has been linked with a move to English football.

Starting line-ups
Eintracht FrankfurtBayern Munich
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Eintracht Frankfurt3-4-2-1
Bayern Munich4-2-3-1
1Kevin Trapp
1Manuel Neuer
2Evan Ndicka
4Niklas Süle
13Martin Hinteregger
17Jérôme Boateng
35Tuta
27David Alaba
10Filip Kostic
19Alphonso Davies
17Sebastian Rode
6Joshua Kimmich
20Makoto Hasebe
22Marc Roca
18Almamy Touré
10Leroy Sané
32Amin Younes
13Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
15Daichi Kamada
29Kingsley Coman
9Luka Jovic
9Robert Lewandowski
Match stats
E FrankfurtBayern Munich

13/4

SHOTS / ON TARGET

22/7

40.3%

POSSESSION

59.7%

23

ATTACKS INTO AREA

48

1.43

EXPECTED GOALS (XG)

3.18