Eintracht Frankfurt won a two-legged playoff to stave off relegation at the end of the 2015-16 season, and they have been climbing upward ever since. Under the guidance of Croatian tactician Niko Kovac, appointed in March 2016, Frankfurt finished 11th in the Bundesliga two seasons ago and leapt to eighth last year. Additionally — and quite sensationally — they knocked off Bayern Munich to win the DFB-Pokal Cup, prompting the domestic champs to swoop in and name Kovac their new coach when Jupp Heynckes once again retired.
But Kovac’s absence in unlikely to slow down Frankfurt’s growth. The club named Adi Hutter as manager after the Austrian guided BSC Young Boys to their first Swiss Super League title in 32 years.