Albert Riera is on the verge of being dismissed by Eintracht Frankfurt before clocking 100 days in charge.
The 44-year-old Spaniard is accused of failing to truly connect with the squad.
Even ahead of Friday’s match against Borussia Dortmund, consensus around Eintracht Frankfurt is clear: Albert Riera will be forced out as head coach. Media outlets are already speculating heavily about potential replacements, with a familiar name rising to prominence in recent hours.
The only real question is whether Riera will make it to the 100-day mark. When Eintracht visits Borussia Dortmund on Friday, the Spanish coach will have completed 95 days on the Bundesliga sideline for the Hesse-based club. Few believe he will last much longer. Experts agree: this Spanish experiment will end Saturday, or at most a week later after the final matchday.
**Hütter Emerges as Top Candidate**
All attention in Frankfurt is now on who will succeed Riera. “A coach on thin ice—and who comes next?” headlined the *Frankfurter Rundschau* on Thursday, listing several possible options.
Adi Hütter has found success recently at Monaco.
Hessischer Rundfunk also compiled a candidate list, including Adi Hütter, Matthias Jaissle, Domenico Tedesco, Alexander Blessin, and Christian Eichner. In a poll by the broadcaster, Hütter leads clearly in preference.
**Lack of Personal Connection**
Another HR poll reflects Riera’s situation well. Under his guidance, Eintracht Frankfurt risks missing European competition for the first time in five years. Nearly 92% of respondents want the coach dismissed. Riera took over as Toppmöller’s successor on February 2 and has been questioned from day one.
Riera’s unconventional personality causes too many frictions. Beyond the sporting issues, the Mallorcan is blamed for internal conflicts. Criticism ranges from stubbornness and arrogance to clashes with multiple players. “That’s why Riera failed at Eintracht,” headlined *Bild*, listing his shortcomings.
Riera has also clashed with the media. After several controversial public appearances and questionable statements, the former footballer recently delivered an angry rant. In a press conference—odd even by his standards—he called the media coverage of the club “absolute nonsense.”
**Krösche’s Support Wanes**
Sporting director Markus Krösche had a very different vision of how things would go. He hoped Albert Riera would restore discipline after his predecessor gave the squad too much freedom. But those expectations haven’t been met, and the team has shown no improvement. Three weeks ago, Krösche already gave a measured assessment of his coach, whom he brought in from Slovenia.
“He’s a person who divides opinions. You can like it or not, but he’s authentic,” Krösche said on Sport1’s *Doppelpass*. “Despite the coaching change, we still aren’t applying certain things on the pitch. As a team, we lack stability.”
After the recent 1-2 loss to Hamburg, Krösche avoided commenting on the former Liverpool player’s future. The sporting director is also under scrutiny for the club’s worst season with its most expensive squad ever and for backing Riera despite warnings. His next coaching choice must be more accurate.