Marmoush, Frankfurt set more records

Marmoush was - justifiably - in the headlines again after another five-star display in which the Egypt international smashed his half-season best goals tally by adding another to move to 15 for the 2024/25 campaign. That is already three more than he netted in the whole of the 2023/24 season, which was the best return of his entire career.

It also established a new club record as Marmoush passed the previous best Hinrunde (first half of the season) return for a Frankfurt player, which had been set by Theofanis Gekas with 14 goals in the first half of the 2010/11 season. 

"He's a super guy who always tries to do the best for the team, doesn't take himself too seriously and helps the team a huge amount with his quality," said coach Dino Toppmöller, who also saw his forward add two assists to move to a league-leading nine for the campaign and a huge 24 goal involvements to date.

Watch: Omar Marmoush on song again as Frankfurt pick Freiburg apart

Toppmöller's men eventually dismantled Freiburg despite going behind in their Matchday 17 encounter at Deutsche Bank Park, where club records also tumbled.

Robin Koch's equaliser - from a Marmoush corner - means Frankfurt have scored 10 times from set pieces this season, double their total from the entire 2023/24 campaign. It is no coincidence, simply the fruit of hard work on the training ground.

"We had studied how to score that goal from a corner. It looks simpler than it is. We work with blocks and put a lot of thought into it. It's good when it works out like that," said Koch of his 43rd-minute strike, with Toppmöller adding: "I have always said that we need good set pieces to be successful."

It helped Frankfurt reinforce their hold on third place in the table and stay within touching distance of second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen, also winners on the night. It also took Toppmöller's men to a club record 33 points for a Bundesliga Hinrunde in the three-points-for-a-win era. The last man to have done better? Toppmöller's father, Klaus, in 1993/94 when his team - playing at a time when victory earned just two points - would have tallied 34 points for their first half of the season.

"It was a mature performance; we deserved to win and had good defensive stability," said Toppmöller, who singled out Marmoush and strike partner Hugo Ekitiké - who scored his eighth league goal this season - for praise. "The work of those two lads against the ball was key in our opponents not posing much of a goal threat. We're happy with how the table looks, but it warms my heart to see our great spirit and the energy on the pitch. This spirit can take us very far."