Eintracht Frankfurt bars media interviews with prospect Niko Ilicevic
Eintracht Frankfurt has barred interviews and feature stories about young player Niko Ilicevic after his Bundesliga debut in a 3-1 win over Hamburg. The source said he made his debut aged 16 years and one day, becoming the youngest player to appear in the competition’s history.
Eintracht Frankfurt has barred interviews and feature stories about young player Niko Ilicevic after his Bundesliga debut in a 3-1 win over Hamburg. The source said he made his debut aged 16 years and one day, becoming the youngest player to appear in the competition’s history.
Club CEO Axel Hellmann said Frankfurt would not currently allow interviews with the player or feature stories about him, explaining that the club wanted to develop him gradually and avoid exposing him to excessive attention.
Coach Adi Hütter said the club’s responsibility was to look after the young player and handle him carefully. He also praised his appearance, which lasted five or six minutes. Teammate Younes Ben Taleb said he brought energy to the team and came close to scoring, while Can Uzun described seeing him play at that age as amazing.
The source noted that Ilicevic has worn Frankfurt’s shirt since the summer of 2018 and is the nephew of Ivo Ilicevic, a former Bundesliga player.