Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen clash at Deutsche Bank Park in the Bundesliga on Sunday, 5 May 2024.
Having won their last five home matches with Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt now face a Neverkusen (that's right) side, who are eager to maintain their remarkable unbeaten form.
Die Werkself claimed a 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt at BayArena earlier this season (in December), with goals from Victor Boniface, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz.
The contrast between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen from last season to now is stark. Just one year ago, they finished level on 50 points, but today, the gap between the runaway champions and the sixth-placed team is a substantial 36 points.
Historically, goals have been abundant whenever Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen go head-to-head. In their 77 Bundesliga encounters, not once has there been a goalless draw.
Dino Toppmoller's side suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat at Bayern Munich last weekend. With just one victory in their last six matches, The Eagles can still qualify for Europe next season if they finish sixth.
With only three match days left in the 2023-24 Bundesliga season, Eintracht Frankfurt are aiming to secure sixth place. The Eagles currently have 45 points, a five-point lead over seventh-placed Freiburg. Augsburg and Hoffenheim trail behind with 39 points each, in eighth and ninth place, respectively.
Challenging Eintracht Frankfurt at their home ground might prove to be a daunting task, given their remarkable record of losing just one of their last 25 Bundesliga fixtures at home.
While their away performances haven't been as formidable, they have maintained a solid grip on sixth place since the midpoint of the season. Securing a spot in European competition hinges on their ability to accomplish a rare feat - defeating Leverkusen, while simultaneously hoping that Freiburg, Augsburg, and Hoffenheim all stumble in their matches on Saturday.
Adding to their recent successes, Hugo Ekitike has showcased his surge of form by both starting and scoring in back-to-back games. Frankfurt have further solidified their investment in the French forward, exercising their option to buy him from Ligue 1 powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain in the interim.
Eintracht Frankfurt boasts a remarkable record against the Werkself, winning their last five Bundesliga home games against them with scores of 2-1, 3-0, 2-1, 5-2, and 5-1. This streak stands as their longest ongoing winning streak at their own stadium against any other top-flight club.
Meanwhile, Dino Toppmoller remains without the injured Austrian forward Sasa Kalajdzic and captain Sebastian Rode.
Elsewhere, Ignacio Ferri Julia, who has been struggling with ankle issues since last week and French forward Hugo Ekitike, who suffered a knock to his thigh against Bayern Munich last weekend, were both involved in Eintracht Frankfurt's preparations this week. Eketike, who joined the Eagles this winter, was struggling to score but has now scored in back-to-back games and will hope to keep his starting spot.
Omar Marmoush has been enjoying a prolific season, netting 11 Bundesliga goals in 2023/24 (16 across all competitions), marking a career-best tally. However, despite his impressive form, the Egyptian has found the net only once in his last eight top-flight appearances.
Champions Bayer Leverkusen are on the brink of making history as they aim to remain unbeaten throughout the entire Bundesliga campaign by avoiding defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
Bayer Leverkusen have already made Bundesliga history by becoming the first team to remain unbeaten in the first 31 matches of a season.
Leverkusen extended their unbeaten streak to an impressive 47 consecutive games with a convincing 2-0 victory over AS Roma in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals on Thursday night. This victory puts them in a commanding position in the tie, with the return leg scheduled at the BayArena on Thursday.
With the possibility of a treble looming, along with the unprecedented achievement of an undefeated Bundesliga season, Leverkusen's ambitions are high. Despite some close calls in recent league matches, including last-minute goals salvaging draws against Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund, the team's resilience has been evident, sparking jubilant celebrations from manager Alonso and his coaching staff.
Interestingly, the most recent encounter between the two clubs at Deutsche Bank Park on October 15, 2022, ended in a 5-1 victory for Eintracht Frankfurt. This match marked Xabi Alonso's away debut as Leverkusen's coach, just 10 days after he succeeded the role.
However, Alonso will not be in the dugout in Frankfurt on Sunday due to a one-match ban incurred from receiving his fourth yellow card of the season during the 2-2 draw against Stuttgart last weekend.
Despite his touchline suspension, Alonso will have the final say in team selection, and he can count on a fully fit squad with the return of Adam Hlozek and Borja Iglesias from their respective injuries.
The midfield maestro, Granit Xhaka, is also back in contention after serving his suspension during the Stuttgart match. Lukas Hradecky, the team captain, is expected to reclaim his spot in goal for the Bundesliga clash, a position he typically occupies, replacing cup goalkeeper Matej Kovar.
Despite Florian Wirtz starting the last three league games on the bench, it highlights the depth of talent at Leverkusen, who are balancing their commitments across three competitions.
In their recent draw with Stuttgart, Alejandro Grimaldo showcased his playmaking prowess by delivering his league-leading 13th assist of the season. This performance echoes the achievements of last season's top provider, Raphael Guerreiro, who contributed to 12 goals.
Eintracht Frankfurt: Kevin Trapp - Tuta, Robin Koch - Willian Pacho - Aurélio Buta, Hugo Larsson, Ellyes Skhiri, Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe - Omar Marmoush, Mario Gotze - Hugo Ekitike. (3-4-2-1)
Bayer Leverkusen: Lukas Hradecky - Odilon Kossounou, Jonathan Tah, Piero Hincapie - Nathan Tella, Exequiel Palacios, Granit Xhaka, Alejandro Grimaldo - Jonas Hofmann, Amine Adli - Patrik Schick. (3-4-2-1)
Thus, the newly-crowned German champions will be bidding to claim their first win at Waldstadion since November 2017 but let's admit it - no one will blame them if they don't.
Eintracht's home record against Bayer Leverkusen in recent seasons [five wins in a row] speaks for itself but this time the challenge feels quite different. The Eagles are set to take on the German champions, who are competing on multiple fronts and with the Bundesliga title already secured, they have a realistic opportunity to clinch a treble.
All in all, the encounters between these two sides have been frequent, with a total of 77 meetings, yet they have never played out a goalless draw.
