Our next opponents: Hope for an 'historic moment'

Position

Different moods can sometimes coincide. After last Saturday's 4-0 defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt were worried about breaking down in the season run-in but the picture looked completely different four days later. With the 2-0 victory over FC Augsburg, Eintracht have extended their lead over fifth place to four points and the dream of playing in the Champions League becomes more and more likely. "I'm happy for the whole club that we still have the chance of creating an historic moment at Frankfurt," said coach Adi Hütter. He will not be there if the team from Frankfurt does qualify for the premier club competition in Europe as he is already set to be the coach at Borussia Mönchengladbach next season. Together with the departing members of management, Fredi Bobic and Bruno Hübner, he has helped create a meteoric rise for the club in recent years. Now the trio want to say farewell with a milestone in the long history of Eintracht Frankfurt. They achieved one target with the win against Augsburg: Eintracht now have 56 points, the highest number for the club since the introduction of three points for a win – with four games to play.

Personnel

While Hütter substituted his key defender Martin Hinteregger in the Augsburg game to avoid him being sent off and thereby suspended for the game against the Werkself, the Eintracht coach has to manage without another leader on the pitch. Sebastian Rode picked up his tenth yellow card against FCA and is now suspended for Saturday's game. A coincidence: The midfielder served his first suspension of the season and missed the 2-1 win for Frankfurt against the Werkself at the beginning of January. He will probably be replaced in the starting eleven by stalwart and captain Makoto Hasebe. Of the other potential starters only right back Almamy Touré is sidelined with a ligament injury and he will probably not play again this season. The same applies to striker Ragnar Ache who was only made a number of substitute appearances for Eintracht in his first season due to thigh problems.

Performers

Eintracht Frankfurt have impressively demonstrated how important the classic centre forward is in the modern game. Striker André Silva has regularly scored goals in situations that did not appear to be clear-cut chances – and that alongside winter returnee Luka Jovic who has exactly the same qualities. Second only to FC Bayern, Eintracht have the second best conversion rate in the league and have also scored the third highest number of goals. Frankfurt have also excelled in heading ability: Eintracht have scored nine goals with headers in 2021 – which is also due to the pinpoint crosses from difference maker Filip Kostic. The winger with the brilliant left foot has already provided twelve assists this season – only FC Bayern player Thomas Müller has laid on more goals.

Problems

The intensive style of play under Hütter also includes the use of tactical fouls. The team from Hessen have committed the second highest number in the league and have also picked up the most yellow cards. On the one hand, that leads to suspensions as with Rode but also presents too many set pieces for opponents – and Frankfurt have not always been solid in that area recently. Three of the goals conceded in the defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach came from dead ball situations.

Prediction

Frankfurt are still in with a great chance of qualifying for the Champions League. The Werkself are the last opponents this season from the top third of the table and the match at the BayArena is followed by two home games against Mainz Freiburg plus an away fixture at the already relegated Schalke. The setback in Mönchengladbach does not appear to destabilised the team at all so that it is very likely that Eintracht will play their first Champions League game in the autumn of 2021. The only question remaining: Who will be in the dugout as the head coach?