Eintracht missed suspended Rebic against Chelsea – Hutter

Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi Hutter felt his side missed the suspended Ante Rebic in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against Chelsea.

Luka Jovic’s ninth Europa League goal of the season put Eintracht in front at Commerzbank-Arena on Thursday but the Blues hit back through Pedro shortly before half-time.

Neither side could find a winner after the interval and at 1-1 the tie remains finely balanced ahead of next week’s return at Stamford Bridge.

Despite 21-year-old Jovic again proving himself among Europe’s most exciting young strikers, Hutter thought Rebic sitting the game out had a decisive impact.

“That was an absolute success, what we have shown today against an absolute top team,” he told a post-match news conference. 

“The result leaves all possibilities open for the second leg. The favourite [to reach the final] will still be Chelsea. The trump cards are in their hands. Nevertheless, I am confident that we can get something in London as well.

“Ante Rebic will also be there again, we certainly missed him today. Still very proud of our team. The fans infected us with the choreography again.

That now familiar Luka Jović celebration #UEL pic.twitter.com/cAUVhSKAli

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 2, 2019

“I think that we did a very good job for the first half an hour. The equaliser may have taken us a bit out of the way.

“The draw is well deserved. We have seen the class of Chelsea, but also our aggressiveness and passion. That makes me really proud today.”