In a joint interview with kicker, Nnamdi Collins and Nathianel Brown of Eintracht Frankfurt discussed their forthcoming Champions League campaign.
On Thursday, the duo will make their UCL debuts against Galatasaray. In the league phase, Frankfurt will face Liverpool, Napoli, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Qarabag, Tottenham, and Barcelona as well.
Regarding the forthcoming campaign, Brown stated:
“I’m really looking forward to the game and the Champions League season overall. We aim to demonstrate our capabilities. For a footballer, the Champions League is among the most significant events.
As Collins added:
„I share your feelings. I don’t feel any nervousness at all. Only anticipation exists, devoid of negative thoughts. We’re feeling good and want to bring that vibe into Thursday’s game.
Regarding the challenging draw that Frankfurt have, Collins noted that die Adler arguably face the toughest one among all Bundesliga teams:
“We are looking forward to these tough challenges. Selbstverständlich wird es schwieriger als in der letzten Saison in der Europa-League. Nevertheless, we managed the triple burden effectively in that context, securing a third-place finish in the Bundesliga. I have enough confidence to say we can do it again. We have the potential to achieve another very good season, including in the Champions League.
Brown added:
“Without a doubt, we are up against some elite rivals. However, we are ambitious enough to approach every game with the mindset that we want to win. We’re not going to Barcelona or Naples just because it’s nice there. We aim to demonstrate our capabilities.
Collins will have the opportunity to go up against his favorite player, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, in the Champions League. Upon facing the Dutchman, Collins stated:
“During the draw, I was supporting Liverpool. Ich halte Van Dijk für den besten Innenverteidiger weltweit. There is much I can learn from him: his heading ability and timing, his calm demeanor and physical presence, and his aura.
Taking into account that Frankfurt has established itself as a selling club in recent seasons, with departures like Hugo Ekitiké, Omar Marmoush, and William Pacho all occurring in the past few years. The pair were questioned about which team they aspire to play for one day:
Collins:
„Ich bin in Frankfurt sehr glücklich, aber die Premier League ist auch großartig, vor allem der FC Liverpool. It’s important to always aim high; that’s the reason we all began playing football. To be honest, that’s not influencing my thoughts right now. I am very comfortable at Eintracht and extremely excited about what lies ahead.
Bräunlich:
“Since I was a little kid, I’ve been a Barcelona fan; it would be a dream come true to play for Barca one day. However, at this moment, I’m not considering it in the least.
Frankfurt began their Bundesliga season strongly with victories over Werder Bremen and Hoffenheim. However, their 3-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen on Friday served as a much-needed reality check to help them continue developing their season.
