Berlin (AFP) – Austrian Adi Huetter will quit as Eintracht Frankfurt head coach at the end of the season to take charge of Bundesliga rivals Borussia Moenchengladbach, both clubs confirmed Tuesday.
After weeks of speculation, Huetter, 51, will sign a three-year contract as head coach of Gladbach, replacing Marco Rose, 44, who is leaving to take over at Borussia Dortmund for the 2021/22 season.
With six games left, fourth-placed Frankfurt are on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League next season. They have a five-point lead over fifth-placed Dortmund.
In contrast, Gladbach are eighth in Germany’s top flight, 13 points from a place in the Champions League.
By coincidence, Borussia Moenchengladbach host Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Huetter informed Eintracht’s bosses on Monday, and the team on Tuesday morning, that he is leaving due to a release clause in his contract.
After “three unbelievably successful and intense years”, Huetter says he wants to finish on a high and see Frankfurt “qualify for the Champions League”.
Under Huetter, Eintracht Frankfurt made it to the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2019 and the German Cup semis last season, where they lost to eventual winners Bayern Munich.