Frankfurt, Oct 28, 2022 (AFP) - Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner admitted his side had prepared for Saturday's match against Borussia Dortmund with "very dangerous" English teenager Jude Bellingham in mind.
Bellingham, 19, has been Dortmund's best player this season and has played every minute for the club in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
Speaking on Friday afternoon, Glasner said his side had developed a game plan to help neutralise the teenager.
"We obviously have a lot of focus on him, but not just him," Glasner told the pre-match press conference.
"We want to make the spaces really narrow, so that he has to work a lot on defence and so that the distances are very long for him."
Generally a deeper-lying creative player, Bellingham - who has captained Dortmund on several occasions in recent weeks - has become a goal threat this season, scoring eight times in 18 matches.
Glasner said he was aware of Bellingham's ability to 'pop up' in crucial moments.
"Jude Bellingham is a great player and a great leader at his young age," the 48-year-old Austrian manager said.
"He has become very dangerous this season. He keeps popping up in the penalty area."
Frankfurt go into the clash one point ahead of Dortmind in fourth place on the table.
Glasner has lost each of his six matches against Dortmund as coach of Frankfurt and Wolfsburg.
While Glasner confirmed forward Mario Goetze, who won man of the match in Frankfurt's 2-1 win over Marseille on Wednesday night, will play against his former side, Dortmund loanee Ansgar Knauff's injury layoff will continue.
"He (Knauff) won't be in the squad yet - that'd be too risky for me."
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