Our next opponents: The Eagles flying high

Position

Eintracht Frankfurt are unbeaten in the last seven games. The team from Hessen were recently involved in a spectacular clash with the record champions. The visitors clearly dominated proceedings in a 3-3 draw in the top match at home to Bayern Munich. But Eintracht were clinical in their counter-attacks and they caught the Munich side out with an equaliser in added time scored by Omar Marmoush. The Egyptian scored the leveller at 1-1 and provided the assist for Hugo Ekitiké to make it 2-1. "We defended as a team and we were really cool in front of goal," said the man of the match after the game.

Eintracht Frankfurt, whose only defeat this term came against Borussia Dortmund on matchday one (0-2), are third in the table on 13 points just one behind the leading teams from Munich and Leipzig. It's the best start for Eintracht in twelve years. And confidence is suitably high. The Eagles believe they can get a result in Leverkusen. It will not be easy but it is achievable according to midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud. They are coming to Leverkusen to win. And head coach Dino Toppmöller said: "We want to remain hungry. There's an incredible mentality in the group. We have to continue like that."

Eintracht have also made a successful start in the other two competitions in addition to the Bundesliga. The first round of the DFB Pokal saw the Eagles beat Eintracht Braunschweig 4-1. The UEFA Europa League campaign started with a 3-3 draw against Viktoria Plzeň and a 3-1 win away to Besiktas.

Personnel

Captain and goalkeeper Kevin Trapp will be back in goal in Leverkusen after recovering from a thigh injury. The 34-year-old keeper was back between the posts for Eintracht in a friendly against Union Luxembourg (3-1) last week. The Brazilian Kaua Santos proved to be a brilliant understudy for five games. In the defence, summer signing Arthur Theate is a first choice on the left side of the back four. The Belgian is on loan from Stade Rennes and he will face former teammates Jeanuel Belocian and Martin Terrier, who also moved from the Ligue 1 club to the Werkself in the summer, on Saturday. Alongside Theate in the back four, favoured by coach Dino Toppmöller, the Brazilian Tuta, the Denmark international Rasmus Kristensen (on loan from Leeds United) plus the Germany player Robin Koch are the usual starters. The latter missed the two internationals against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Netherlands due to a hip problem. The 28-year-old did return to full training last Tuesday. It is possible that Koch will be in the squad against Bayer 04.

Ellyes Skhiri and Hugo Larsson played in central midfield for Eintracht in the 3-3 draw against Bayern with Skhiri replaced by Mo Dahoud in the second half. The 20-year-old Swede Larsson is an automatic first choice for the Hessen team. Toppmöller is spoilt for choice up front. Both Fares Chaibi, who the coach has a high opinion of, and Ansgar Knauff as well as Mario Götze, Mo Dahoud and Dina Ebimbe are also options. Hugo Ekitiké and Omar Marmoush are the regular two up top.

Problems

Eintracht have let in a few recently with nine goals conceded in the last four matches. The team from Hessen have proved susceptible from set pieces. FC Bayern scored two of their goals from corners in the 3-3 draw. The Eagles have conceded goals in Leverkusen on a regular basis. The Frankfurt team have lost the last ten games away to the Werkself – and that by a margin of at least two goals with a goal difference of 30 (5 to 35).

Performers

Outstanding strikers are a tradition at Eintracht. From club legends like Bernd Hölzenbein, Anthony Yeboah, Jörn Andersen and Alex Meier through Luka Jovic, Ante Rebic and Sebastien Haller to Randal Kolo Muani, Hugo Ekitiké and Omar Marmoush. Kicker calls Eintracht Frankfurt the "striker factory". There were a couple of production problems last season with only 51 goals scored. But the Eagles appear to have rediscovered their former quality in the current campaign with an impressive 24 goals in nine games. More than half have been scored by the Marmoush/Ekitiké duo. Above all, the Egyptian Omar Marmoush is in really good form. The 25 year-old has scored nine goals and provided six assists across competitions so far. Mahmoud is top scorer in the Bundesliga with eight goals (four assists) setting a club record at Frankfurt after six games. "His quality is unbelievable," Mo Dahoud said about his teammate wearing the number seven jersey. Since detailed data collection in 2004/05, only Robert Lewandowski (in 2020/21) has scored more goals and provided more assists in the first six matchdays.

The France U21 international Hugo Ekitiké, who was signed from Paris Saint Germain after a six-month loan, has clocked up five goals and four assists. Back up in attack includes Igor Matanovic. The 1.94 metre tall striker was on loan to Karlsruher SC last season where he scored 14 goals and provided seven assists.

The match against FC Bayern proved once again: Fast transition play and clinical efficiency are key factors for Eintracht this season. Five goals scored in counter-attacks is the highest number in the league. That means the team from Hessen do not need much possession. On the contrary: They only had 26.6% of the ball in the 3-3 draw against Bayern. The average possession for Eintracht is 38.4% – only VfL Wolfsburg have less (37.1%).