Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Bayer Leverkusen: probable line-ups, match stats & LIVE blog!

Bundesliga

2024-05-03T05:00:00Z

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That might be easier said than done against a Frankfurt side that has lost only one of their last 25 Bundesliga home fixtures. The Eagles haven’t fared quite so well on their travels, but have occupied sixth place since the mid-point of the season. A place in European competition will be theirs, if they can become the first team to defeat Leverkusen, and each of Freiburg, Augsburg and Hoffenheim fail to win 24 hours earlier. Hugo Ekitiké has started and scored in successive games, with Frankfurt exercising their option to buy the French forward from Paris Saint-Germain between times. He should have Omar Marmoush for company in attack, with Aurélio Buta and Eric Dina Ebimbe set to continue on the flanks. Ansgar Knauff started the 2-1 reverse at Bayern Munich, but Hugo Larsson is expected to be recalled by head coach Dino Toppmöller for the visit of the unbeaten champions.

Leverkusen stretched their record unbeaten streak to 47 consecutive fixtures with a 2-0 win away at Roma during the week that puts them in the driving seat in their UEFA Europa League semi-final tie, with the return leg at the BayArena on Thursday. It leaves the prospect of a treble very much on for Die Werkself, plus there’s the dangling carrot of becoming the first team ever to go through an entire Bundesliga season without defeat. They’ve left it late at times, with added-time goals salvaging draws in both their last two league outings against VfB Stuttgart and away at Borussia Dortmund, prompting Alonso and his staff to race down the touchline in delight. However, the Spaniard won’t be able to do that this weekend as he serves a suspension for four yellow cards, meaning he’ll be watching from the stands as assistants Sebastian Parilla and Alberto Encinas call the shots at pitch level. Alonso will select the team, however, and has the full squad at his disposal after Adam Hložek and Borja Iglesias recovered from injuries. Midfield general Granit Xhaka is also available again after missing the Stuttgart game through suspension. Captain Lukáš Hrádecký should return in goal as usual in the Bundesliga in place of cup goalkeeper Matěj Kovář. Florian Wirtz has started the last three league outings on the bench, showing the strength in depth at the new Bundesliga champions as they juggle three competitions.

Watch: Leverkusen – Treble Bid Ongoing

• Marmoush’s 11 Bundesliga goals in 2023/24 mark a career-best return, although he has only scored once in his last eight top-flight appearances.
• Frankfurt are enjoying a five-match winning run in home meetings with Leverkusen, including a 5-1 thrashing in Alonso’s second game in charge.
• The Eagles finished level at 50 points with Bayer last season. Almost one year on, the gap between first and sixth is a hefty 36 points.
• Alejandro Grimaldo produced his league-leading 13th assist of the season in the draw with Stuttgart. Last term’s top provider, Raphaël Guerreiro, assisted 12 goals.
• Leverkusen are the first team in Bundesliga history to go unbeaten through the first 31 matches of a season.
• No pair of Bundesliga teams have ever met so often – 77 teams – without playing out a goalless draw.

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Frankfurt: Trapp (c) – Tuta, Koch, Pacho – Buta, Larsson, Skhiri, Dina Ebimbe – Marmoush, Götze – Ekitiké
Out: Kalajdžić (knee), Loune (knee), Nacho (ankle), Rode (knee)
Doubtful: –
Coach: Dino Toppmöller

Leverkusen: Hrádecký (c) – Kossounou, Tah, Hincapié – Tella, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo – Hofmann, Adli – Schick
Out: –
Doubtful: –
Coach: Xabi Alonso

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