Borussia Dortmund will be eager to return to winning ways in the Bundesliga when they host Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
Having returned to winning ways in the UEFA Champions League, Borussia Dortmund will now be hoping to get their Bundesliga campaign back on track against Eintracht Frankfurt, who have not had the best of starts to the new season.
The home team are second on the table with 14 points in their six outings, with four wins and two draws. After four straight wins, they have only managed two points in their last two league outings. Dortmund even suffered a 1-0 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League between those two league draws.
While recent weeks have not gone according to plan for them, the team in black and yellow returned to winning ways against Sabah last time out. It might not have been their best performance, but it will certainly give them a lot of confidence ahead of their home game against Frankfurt.
Meanwhile, the visitors are 11th on the table with just eight points in their six outings, with two wins, two draws and as many defeats. They clearly have not been at their best and suffered a comprehensive 6-0 defeat to RB Leipzig almost two weeks ago.
But Eintracht Frankfurt did regain some sort of momentum with a hard-fought 1-0 win over FC Koln. While it will give them some confidence, they will have to do a lot more to ensure they secure all three points against Dortmund away from home. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Borussia Dortmund
The home team remain without the services of Justin Lerma (muscle), Giannis Konstantelias, (cruciate ligament), and Emre Can (cruciate ligament).
Borussia Dortmund are likely to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation vs Eintracht Frankfurt, with Gregor Kobel starting in goal. Joane Gadou, Waldemar Anton, and Nico Schlotterbeck should form the back three, providing defensive stability while looking to build play from the back.
Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson are expected to operate as wing-backs, offering width in attack while tracking back to support the defence. Felix Nmecha and Jobe Bellingham should form the central midfield partnership, with the pair tasked with controlling possession and progressing the ball into the final third.
Ethan Nwaneri and Maximilian Beier are likely to operate behind Serhou Guirassy, who will lead the line for Borussia Dortmund vs Eintracht Frankfurt. The attacking duo will look to exploit spaces between the lines, while Guirassy will be tasked with converting the chances that come his way.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Kobel; Gadou, Anton, Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Svensson; Nwaneri, Beier; Guirassy
Eintracht Frankfurt
The visitors might be without the services of Oscar Hojlund because of injury, but apart from him, everyone else should be available for selection.
Eintracht Frankfurt are likely to line up in a 4-4-2 formation vs Borussia Dortmund, with Noah Atubolu starting in goal. Nnamdi Collins and Keita Kosugi should operate as the full-backs, while Robin Koch is likely to pair up with Lilian Brassier in the heart of the defence.
Ritsu Doan and Fares Chaibi are likely to feature on the flanks, with Noel Aseko and Raphael Onyedika forming the central midfield partnership. The midfield quartet will look to provide defensive cover while helping Frankfurt transition quickly into attack.
Jonathan Burkardt and Younes Ebnoutalib are expected to lead the line as the strike partnership for the away side. Their movement and link-up play will be important to Frankfurt’s chances here.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Atubolu; Collins, Koch, Brassier, Kosugi; Doan, Aseko, Onyedika, Chaibi; Burkardt, Ebnoutalib
Key Stats
- In the 16 meetings between the two teams at the Signal Iduna Park, Borussia Dortmund have always found the back of the net.
- Borussia Dortmund have kept four clean sheets, the most in the Bundesliga in the ongoing campaign.
- Eintracht Frankfurt have conceded in all three away league games this season (10 goals in three games).
- The visitors have conceded 16 goals in six outings at an average of 2.7 per game.
- While Borussia Dortmund are unbeaten in the league, they have only bagged five goals in their last five games, which is becoming a concern.
Player to Watch
Maximilian Beier
The 24-year-old German international has become a very important part of the Borussia Dortmund setup, and his versatility has given the manager great tactical flexibility as he can feature in the final third, in midfield as well as a full-back if needed.
While he has four goal contributions in his 11 outings this term, Beier has only found the back of the net once, and he will be eager to get his name on the scoresheet when he takes the field against Eintracht Frankfurt. He is likely to be deployed in an attacking midfield role, and it won’t be a surprise if he does end up having a big say in the end result.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Borussia Dortmund will be determined to make the most of their home advantage and return to winning ways in the Bundesliga. Despite dropping points in their last two league outings, the hosts have shown enough quality to suggest they can get their campaign back on track.
Eintracht Frankfurt will take confidence from their narrow victory over FC Koln, but their defensive vulnerabilities remain a major concern ahead of this trip. Having conceded 10 goals in three away league games, the visitors will need to be far more disciplined to contain Dortmund’s attacking threats. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the home team.