Frankfurt boss Hutter hails ‘perfect’ evening

Posted Friday, April 19, 2019 by PA

Eintracht Frankfurt head coach Adi Hutter hailed his side after they reversed a two-goal first-leg deficit to beat Benfica and reach the Europa League semi-finals.

Goals from Filip Kostic and Sebastian Rode gave the German side a 2-0 win on the night which erased their 4-2 defeat from the first leg and sent them through to face Chelsea on the away goals rule.

Hutter told his club’s official website: “It was a perfect game and a perfect evening – Benfica went all out to score but we stood up and we certainly deserved to win.

“We have delivered great performances in the Europa League. At 1-0 we had the necessary luck. Our tactical discipline was important and we absorbed the emotions of the audience.”

Hutter also said he was relishing the prospect of facing Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea and stressed his own side’s underdog status for the tie.

“We are perhaps the least anticipated semi-finalists, and Chelsea will be the favourites,” Hutter added.

Benfica coach Bruno Lage, who was sent to the stands for protesting that Kostic’s effort should have been ruled out for offside, said his side were left to rue missed chances.

In an interview quoted by uefa.com, Lage said: “I believe that, although we weren’t as strong as we were in the first leg, we created enough opportunities to qualify.

“During the first half the pressure was not as strong as we wanted. In the second half we got better and we tried to go looking for the result, but unfortunately we failed.”