Goalkeeping debacle: Eintracht Frankfurt suffers from Santos' mistakes!

Eintracht Frankfurt had to do without its regular goalkeeper Kevin Trapp on [the day of the game] because he was suffering from aching limbs. Kaua Santos took over the position between the posts for him at short notice. Santos made his last appearance on October 6 against FC Bayern Munich, when the game ended 3-3. In the game against Mainz, Santos made two crucial mistakes that led to goals conceded and further dampened the already sad mood after the game.

The first goal came in the 16th minute when Santos mishandled the ball and punched it into its own goal. When he conceded the second goal, which came in the 58th minute, he allowed a shot from Paul Nebel to rebound after receiving a wayward back pass from Robin Koch. Coach Dino Toppmöller was critical of the decision to play the six under pressure, while sports director Markus Krösche showed compassion for the young goalkeeper. However, Krösche also emphasized that mistakes are normal for young players and that they should learn from such situations. He recalled a similar mistake made by Santos in the Europa League against Viktoria Plzen.

Kaua Santos in focus

Despite the weaknesses in the game against Mainz, Santos also showed positive approaches. In another game against Besiktas Istanbul, the 21-year-old goalkeeper made several spectacular saves and prevented early goals, including a penalty. Santos was transferred from Flamengo Rio de Janeiro to Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2023 for around 1.6 million euros and has played 18 competitive games so far, 13 of which were in the regional league. Santos is perceived as a more proactive goalkeeper compared to Trapp, with a rate of 91% intercepted crosses and 77% blocked balls despite having conceded seven goals in four and a half appearances so far.

Goalkeeping coach Jan Zimmermann praises Santos for his willingness to learn and take risks. Kevin Trapp, an influential club icon, actively supports Santos' integration as he speaks Portuguese fluently. Santos is more risk-taking and creative when opening the game, thanks to his futsal experience. With his quick reflexes and good catching ability, Santos should continue to play an important role in Eintracht Frankfurt's goal in the future, while the Bundesliga table is currently tight for Eintracht with 27 points and they are in third place.