Borussia Dortmund will look to keep the pressure on league leaders Bayern Munich by defeating Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday night in the Bundesliga.
Team Form
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund is determined to clinch a major trophy this season and seriously challenge Bayern Munich’s monopoly over the German title. The latter has won ten consecutive titles, and Dortmund aims to end their reign this time.
Last weekend, Bayern’s unexpected draw against Hoffenheim allowed Dortmund to gain ground in the title race. However, they too couldn’t capitalize on this opportunity, drawing 3-3 against Stuttgart, who are fighting for survival in the league.
Dortmund must regret their missed chance, especially after squandering a two-goal lead against ten men. It’s a significant setback, and their coach, Terzic, must be anxious to get his players back on track for their upcoming fixture against Frankfurt this weekend.
Losing a lead in a closely contested title race is one thing, but throwing it away against a struggling team is another matter. Dortmund must ensure that such lapses don’t happen again if they are to challenge Bayern’s dominance this season.
Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga Form: D W L W D
Eintracht Frankfurt
Dortmund will face Frankfurt when the latter is going through a rough patch, with only Hertha Berlin and Werder Bremen collecting fewer points in the last six matchdays.
Frankfurt’s hopes of competing in the Champions League for a second consecutive season are all but over, with a nine-point gap between them and fourth-placed RB Leipzig, with only 18 points remaining to play for.
However, Frankfurt has a chance to redeem itself in the DFB-Pokal semi-final meeting against Stuttgart on May 3.
Coach Oliver Glasner will be looking to help the club become the joint-second most successful team in the competition’s history. Additionally, Frankfurt will be eager to add to their Europa League triumph after beating Rangers in the final last season.
Eintracht Frankfurt Bundesliga Form: D L D L D
Squad Report
Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund may face a severe defensive injury crisis with three center-backs – Mats Hummels, Niklas Sule, and Nico Schlotterbeck – all doubtful to start against Frankfurt.
However, there is some good news for the team, as Hummels and Sule are expected to recover from their muscle injuries and should be available for selection.
On the other hand, Schlotterbeck is expected to return to the squad towards the end of April.
In addition to their center-back worries, Dortmund will also be without the services of Thomas Meunier, Mateu Morey, and Julian Duranville. These players have been ruled out for at least another matchday.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt’s injury concerns ahead of their match against Borussia Dortmund, the team will be without several key players due to injuries. Kristijan Jakic, Philipp Max, Hrvoje Smolcic, Almamy Toure, and Jesper Lindstrom will all miss the game due to various injury concerns.
However, Evan Ndicka could return to the squad after recovering from his recent muscle strain.
Borussia Dortmund’s expected starting lineup:
Kobel; Ryerson, Sule, Hummels, Guerreiro; Bellingham, Can, Brandt; Malen, Haller, Adeyemi
Eintracht Frankfurt’s expected starting lineup:
Trapp; Tuta, Hasebe, Ndicka; Buta, Rode, Sow, Lenz; Kamada, Gotze; Kolo Muani
Head to Head
Regarding head-to-head matchups between Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, Dortmund has enjoyed a relatively successful record in recent years.
Of the last 43 matches played between the two teams, Dortmund has emerged victorious 24 times, while Eintracht Frankfurt has only managed to secure seven wins.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Saturday, April 22
Time: 04:30 pm, GMT
Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund
Prediction
After dropping points in their last match against Stuttgart, Borussia Dortmund will bounce back with a crucial victory against Eintracht Frankfurt.
