Eintracht Frankfurt has made it to the Europa League semi-finals by beating Barcelona on their own patch.
The Germans had Barca’s number for most of the game, so when Kostic made it 3-0 going into the final quarter.
The hosts seemed dead and buried. Somehow, Barca pulled two goals back in added time, but Frankfurt managed to hold on for a famous victory.
Starting lineup:
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen;
Oscar Mingueza, Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba;
Gavi, Sergio Busquets (c), Pedri;
Ousmane Dembele, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ferran Torres.
SUBS: Nicolas Gonzalez, Adama Traore, Arnau Tenas, Neto, Clement Lenglet, Riqui Puig, Martin Braithwaite, Memphis Depay, Luuk de Jong, Frenkie de Jong, Alejandro Balde, Sergino Dest.
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (3-4-3): Kevin Trapp;
Almamy Toure, Martin Hinteregger, Evan Ndicka;
Ansgar Knauff, Kristijan Jakic, Sebastian Rode (c), Filip Kostic;
Jesper Lindstrom, Rafael Borre, Daichi Kamada.
Goals:
0-1. (1-2 ON AGGREGATE)! Kostic steps up and sends Ter Stegen the wrong way, slamming the penalty left-footed into the bottom right corner. Game on!
0-2. (1-3 ON AGGREGATE)! Borre doubles Frankfurt’s lead on the night and in this tie with an absolute thunderbolt from the range! The Colombian is freed by Kostic down the left, shifts the ball onto his right foot and blasts it into the top left corner of the net. Ter Stegen has no chance of keeping it out.
0-3. (1-4 ON AGGREGATE)! Frankfurt is undoubtedly heading to the Europa League semi-finals! Kostic grabs his second goal as the visitors switch play quickly from a throw-in. Kamada rolls the Serbian into the box, and he slots first-time into the far bottom corner.
1-3. (2-4 ON AGGREGATE)! Busquets will not be denied! Luuk de Jong’s shot from the centre of the box is blocked, and the Barca captain blasts the rebound into the bottom left corner from outside the box! Barca has suddenly woken up! Indeed it’s too late?
2-3. (3-4 ON AGGREGATE)! Depay smashes the penalty straight at Trapp. The keeper can’t hold the ball, though, and it bounces up into the crossbar and back down into the net! There’s no way Barca has enough time to score a third, but they’ve made this game much closer than it was half an hour ago.
So, what’s next?
Frankfurt will face West Ham United in the Europa League semi-finals, then, with a final against RB Leipzig or Rangers in Seville at stake.
After that, Barcelona will have to wait a while longer before they get to enjoy European glory again.