Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Hoffenheim preview: Visitors looking to continue red-hot form | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt

Frankfurt recently took the tough decision of sacking Dino Toppmöller as head coach. The 45-year-old was dismissed following a return of just one win from his last nine competitive games in charge. Last weekend’s 3-3 draw proved to be his final match in the Frankfurt dugout, with that result extending the club’s winless run to four matches.

Unfortunately for Frankfurt, that run stretched to five games with a disappointing 3-2 away defeat against Qarabag in the Champions League under the watch of interim boss Dennis Schmitt. Die Adler spurned a 2-1 advantage, as the Azerbaijan champions scored in the 80th and 94th minutes to condemn Frankfurt to a league phase exit with one game left to play.

Frankfurt will now turn their focus back to Bundesliga action, with die Adler sitting in seventh place after winning seven, drawing six and losing five of their 18 league games. Despite being in poor form, Frankfurt have at least avoided defeat in each of their last five Bundesliga home matches (W3, D2). They have also won six of their previous seven home meetings with Hoffenheim.

The hosts are bidding to complete a league double over their opponents after running out 3-1 winners at the PreZero Arena in August. 

Team News

Frankfurt remain without the services of Jonathan Burkardt, Michy Batshuayi, Elias Baum, Timothy Chandler and Younes Ebnoutalib due to injury.

Predicted lineup: Kauã; Kristensen, Koch, Theate, Brown; Larsson, Skhiri, Chaïbi; Doan, Uzun, Kalimuendo

Hoffenheim

In contrast, Hoffenheim will head into Saturday’s fixture in high spirits after losing just one of their previous 11 Bundesliga matches (W8, D2). In fact, die Kraichgauer have won three of their previous four league outings, including a 1-0 success in last Saturday’s home clash with Bayer Leverkusen. On that occasion, Wouter Burger’s ninth-minute effort proved enough to guide Hoffenheim to a sixth consecutive home league victory.

As a result of their impressive form, Christian Ilzer’s side head into matchday 18 in third place with a one-point gap to RB Leipzig in fifth position. Their recent away form suggests they may find it difficult to add three points to their tally this weekend, having taken just two points from their previous three road trips. They have also not beaten Frankfurt at Deutsche Bank Park since they recorded a 2-0 victory in April 2016. 

The visitors should at least fancy their chances of negating Frankfurt’s attacking threat, given the fact that they boast the second-best defensive away record with nine goals conceded in just eight matches.

Team News

Adam Hložek and Cole Campbell remain sidelined with calf and ankle injuries respectively, while Koki Machida is continuing his rehabilitation from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. 

Predicted lineup: Baumann; Coufal, Hranáč, Hajdari, Bernardo;  Kramarić, Avdullahu, Burger; Lemperle, Touré, Asllani