Women

“Not be diverted from our approach”

Merle Frohms on excitement for matches at the Volkswagen Arena and facing former club Frankfurt.

Merle Frohms knows Eintracht Frankfurt especially well: the VfL goalkeeper played for the Eagles from 2020 to 2022. Ahead of the She-Wolves’ match against her former club on Sunday 11 February (kick-off 14:00 CET), she spoke about lessons from the draw against Leverkusen, preparations for the big game at the Volkswagen Arena and the positives of the increasing competition in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga.

Merle Frohms, you actually played well against Leverkusen, which makes the 1-1 scoreline all the more disappointing. How do you reflect on it now?

Merle: “I think this match was a lesson for us. We were brutally punished for not taking our chances, but overall we turned in a good performance against Leverkusen. We want to build on that and not let ourselves be diverted from our footballing approach.”

How are you going about the preparations for Frankfurt?

Merle: “We’re not going to do anything massively differently to before. Of course, our points of focus are adapted to Frankfurt and we’re analysing where we came up short against Leverkusen. I think for us, this week is all about getting a good feeling again, so that our attack can score a lot of goals. It’s important that we have the right balance between being relaxed but also having discipline on the pitch.”

Is it special for you to play at the Volkswagen Arena again?

Merle: “The atmosphere is different there because a bigger crowd is expected. I’d be pleased if as many people as possible come to support us. The pitch will also be great.”

What do you make of Frankfurt’s performances so far this season?

Merle: “I have great respect for Frankfurt. They now have the chance to get closer to the top of the table. That’ll be an added motivation for them, so it’s going to be an even contest.”

Do you think it could even be a three-horse race for the title with Bayern and Frankfurt?

Merle: “Totally. All three clubs rightly have the expectation of competing at the top for the Champions League places, and the positions one, two and three are not set for me either. It’s going to be exciting. I think it’s nice that the championship is finally being decided by consistency. It’s not just the big matches that are decisive.”