Hugo Ekitiche is back but will be in top form as his replacement at Eintracht Frankfurt for the Champions League tie against Liverpool. Jonathan Bourcard, signed from Mainz this summer, has scored six goals in his last six games.
Against Galatasaray in September, Burkhardt became the first German player in 30 years to score and assist on his Champions League debut, and did so again against Atletico Madrid. There were two more people in Freiburg over the weekend.
The 25-year-old striker looks like another smart signing by Frankfurt, a club renowned for recruiting talented players. This didn’t require much discovery. Burkardt was the fourth-highest scorer in the Bundesliga last season with 18 goals for Mainz.
Burkaard is third in Bundesliga open play scoring since last season.
This made him the highest scorer in a single season in the club’s history, surpassing the combined 15 goals scored by future Premier League winners Andre Schurrle and Shinji Okazaki. However, Burkardt’s progression into the German national team was not without its challenges.
This success seemed inevitable a few years ago. A knee injury suffered against Frankfurt in November 2022 derailed his progress. That day, Burkardt scored against his future employer. That was his final goal for 15 months.
The charismatic Bo Henriksen changed everything when he arrived in Mainz in February 2024 and helped Burkardt turn his career around. “When I came he had played about 100 Bundesliga games and scored 15 or 16 goals.” Henriksen said. sky sports.
The actual numbers are pretty similar. That was 16 goals in 96 games. Burkardt scored 24 goals in 40 Bundesliga games under Henriksen, part of a sea change for both player and team. “He’s made a huge turnaround. What he’s done is unbelievable.”
Bo Henriksen helped Burkardt turn his career around at Mainz.
What happened to him? “It’s all about mentality,” says Henriksen. But it was important to play to Burkardt’s strengths. The Danish coach explained this through a conversation in which the player revealed that he would like to have a more central role in the team.
“I just spoke to him. It’s as simple as that. Listen, you have to talk to the players. I asked him, ‘Where do you want to play?’ He always played as a top two in a 5-3-2 formation or a 3-4-3 formation. He wanted to play as a number nine, a clear number nine.
“I said, ‘If you want to play as a clear number nine, why should we play you in a position that only suits you 80%? We have other people who can play in other positions. We need to make sure we can get everyone playing at 100%.’ His trust was rewarded.
Burkaard moved to Eintracht Frankfurt this summer.
Burkardt’s goal helped Mainz hold on to spring 2024. He has scored eight goals in those games, nine points from safety with just 13 games remaining. The player has since maintained his form, helping Mainz to sixth place and qualifying for Europe this season.
“We played a little more in the half-spaces, a little more on the wings and it became easier for him to get into the box and finish crosses,” explains Henriksen. There was another example over the weekend. “He’s really good at getting out of the deep end.”
This is a style of play that suits Frankfurt as well. Ekitike and Omar Marmoush both enjoyed plenty of success at the turn of the season last season, scoring 15 goals each. Burkardt’s work rate is impressive and his combination of scoring goals and high pressing stood out last year.
After a short adjustment period, there have been signs that he could take on a similar role at his new club after making the short trip east. “Everything in life is faith and he believes. He’s also a fantastic leader, and that makes it even more fun to see the progress he’s made.”
Of course, Liverpool will be a bigger test on Wednesday evening. However, the player is on the rise and has his sights set on a World Cup goal with Germany. Don’t be surprised if it’s Burkhardt and not Ekitike who steals the show in Frankfurt this week.
