Which team will complete the perfect week?
It’s literally palpable that Eintracht Frankfurt is just developing a collective again that wants to follow in the huge footsteps of last year’s teams. Because the 2022 Europa League winners again had to cope with some big-name departures this summer, it was to be expected that the fresh start with a new coach on the sidelines would take some time. After the best Bundesliga game so far in the previous week, however, the SGE seems ready for a first real test of maturity.
BVB already passed this endurance test impressively in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. The Black and Yellows won 1-0 at Newcastle thanks to a Nmecha goal, putting them in a great position ahead of the start of the second legs in just under two weeks.
On Sunday, coach Edin Terzic’s side will be looking to maintain their aura of invincibility in the league. There is some evidence to suggest that between Frankfurt and Dortmund, a prediction will pay off that Borussia will not leave the pitch as losers on matchday 9 in the Bundesliga.
It will also be exciting to see how much strength the international tasks have taken during the week. While the BVB squad had to fly to England and did not return until Thursday, Eintracht celebrated a home win against Helsinki in the Conference League.
Against the backdrop that only the first of three consecutive English weeks ends this weekend, the topic of fatigue should not play a major role with regard to our Frankfurt vs. Dortmund tips, however. Only the potential failures could significantly weaken the reigning runners-up.
Frankfurt – statistics & current form
There’s an old saying that goes, “What goes around comes around.” This saying can be projected one-to-one to Eintracht Frankfurt. After initial difficulties in the league, as well as the ongoing turmoil surrounding the personnel matter of Randal Kolo Muani, the signature of coach Dino Toppmöller can be seen more clearly from week to week. The 3:1 win at TSG Hoffenheim last weekend was the temporary highlight of the positive development over the last few games, which should give hope for the upcoming tasks.
Although the Kraichgauer are playing a good season so far, a completely different caliber awaits the Eagle Bearers on Sunday afternoon. For the first time ever this season, the SGE will face a European Cup representative. The seventh-placed team in the table, which has only lost one of its eight league games to date (three wins, four draws), is therefore facing a complicated test after which a more accurate interim conclusion can be drawn.
Does Eintracht confirm the upward trend?
Despite the obvious improvement in many aspects of the game, the biggest question mark is still behind the penetrating power in the offense. Only on the past two matchdays did the Hessians manage to score more than one goal of their own. However, the total of nine goals scored is still the worst figure in the top half of the table.
In addition, the flexible attacking lineup, which lacks a goal-scoring threat, has fired just 85 shots on goal over the course of the season – no other club boasts fewer shots on goal. Just four goals in four home games could also be an indication to at least consider the odds on a “to-nil” win for the visitors between Frankfurt and Dortmund.
Meanwhile, the impressive home series serves as an encouragement, because none of the last 14 BL matches in front of their own fans was lost from the perspective of the black-red-white (eight wins, six draws). Dino Toppmöller is thus the first coach since Armin Veh in 2012/13 to remain unbeaten in his first four league home games as SGE coach. However, that doesn’t change the fact that Eintracht has yet to score a goal from a set piece situation this season. And that would be particularly important on Sunday, as BVB have conceded four of their last five goals from stationary balls.
Predicted Frankfurt lineup:
Dortmund – statistics & current form
There is currently no top team in soccer Germany that is so critically eyed as Borussia Dortmund. Right and wrong are debatable in this regard. What is clear, however, is that the Black and Yellows are still unbeaten in the Bundesliga after eight matchdays (six wins, two draws), have reached the second round of the DFB Cup with ease and, since Wednesday, also still have the best chances of punching their ticket to the round of 16 in the “Group of Death” with Paris St. Germain, AC Milan and Newcastle United.
Thanks to the 1-0 working victory at St. James Park, which they owe to an outstanding Gregor Kobel in the final phase in particular, BVB has progress to the knockout round of the top flight in its own hands. In this respect, the second leg in front of a home crowd in just under two weeks against Newcastle could already have a decisive character.
BVB defines itself through defense… & through victories
Because the last five league games were all victorious and the defense around the in-form Hummels & Schlotterbeck remained without conceding a goal in four of the last six mandatory games, there should definitely be no lack of confidence and belief in their own strength at the moment. That’s why we’re confident that Terzic’s team will take at least one point from Frankfurt’s Stadtwald on Sunday.
It is also conceivable to integrate a sub-bet as a potential multiplier in our top tip. We have already mentioned the defensive strength of Borussia. In addition, both teams have only conceded two goals in the second halves so far. For the direct duel, we even expect a relatively tough first half, in which neither team wants to fall behind after the efforts during the week. The Under 1.5 (1st HZ) is therefore similarly appealingly quoted as the Under 3.5, which also finds a place in our top tip table.
Finally, it is important to take a look at the personnel. Emre Can had to be substituted against Newcastle due to injury, Julian Brandt was not even in the lineup. The latter, however, is expected to return to the team on Saturday, which is important in that the international has always been involved in at least one goal in his last seven Bundesliga games for BVB and also scored the redeeming winning goal last Friday against Werder Bremen.
Predicted Dortmund lineup:
Frankfurt – Dortmund Direct comparison / H2H balance
No other club has Borussia Dortmund celebrated more victories in the German top flight than against Eintracht Frankfurt (52). The black-and-yellow team has won all four of the most recent encounters. However, Borussia has never won more than four competitive games in a row against the SGE.
It is also exciting that the reigning runners-up have felt very comfortable in the Main metropolis in the recent past. Dortmund has not lost any of the last six away games in Frankfurt (four draws, two wins). Last season, the Terzic team won two matches (4:0 at home, 2:1 away). The direct comparison can therefore be used as an argument when making a prediction in favor of the visitors in the match between Frankfurt and Dortmund.
Frankfurt – Dortmund tip
With Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund, two in-form Bundesliga teams face each other on Sunday afternoon as part of matchday nine. The SGE has won the last two league games and was convincing for long stretches against Heidenheim (2-0) and TSG Hoffenheim (3-1). Now, however, a different caliber awaits with BVB, which travels to the Main with the self-confidence from five BL victories in a row and the 1-0 win in Newcastle.
Frankfurt is considered an outsider against Dortmund according to the betting odds, which is related to the fact that the Hessians have not won any of the last six BL home games against the black and yellow and also have yet to prove against a top team that they have improved compared to the rather weak start to the season. Especially offensively!
We are a bit more skeptical from the point of view of the eagle bearers and therefore recommend the tip between Frankfurt and Dortmund that the Terzic eleven takes at least a point, but in the first half falls a maximum of one goal. The somewhat unusual combination on the X2 & Under 1.5 (1.HZ) can be played for example at Betano or at Bet365
