Is Frankfurt already through to the knockout rounds?
Eintracht Frankfurt are doing extremely well on the international stage this season. The Hessians are top of Group D in the Europa League after three matchdays and can book their ticket to the next round early on Thursday evening. The prerequisite for this is an away win in Greece.
The odds are relatively even ahead of the second leg between Olympiakos Piraeus and Frankfurt. Although the Bundesliga team won the first leg 3:1 in their own stadium a fortnight ago, every European football fan knows that the task in the Georgios Kraiskakis Stadium will be a brutally difficult and tricky one. Quite a few other teams have had to go through this experience in the past few years.
In addition, when predicting the outcome of the match between Olympiakos Piraeus and Frankfurt, it should not be forgotten that coach Oliver Glasner’s side are still lagging far behind their own expectations in domestic league action and, in 15th place in the standings, face a landmark encounter against bottom side Greuther Fürth at the weekend. Can the focus still be on the match against the traditional Greek club on Thursday?
Olympiakos Piraeus – Statistics & current form
Normally, Olympiakos Piraeus are permanent guests in the UEFA Champions League group stage. This season, however, the reigning Greek champions have had to settle for the second-tier Europa League. The reason for this was the loss of the penalty shoot-out in the third qualifying round for the top division against Ludogorez Rasgrad. After 120 minutes in the first and second legs, the score was 3-3.
However, the only defeat after regular playing time in the 2021/22 season so far was suffered by coach Pedro Martins’ team a fortnight ago at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt. However, with wins at home against Royal Antwerp (2-1) and Fenerbahce (3-0), the Red and Whites are currently second in Group D, so the starting position is very promising.
Most goals at Olympiakos
The current form is also very respectable, as the defending champions have recently celebrated three wins in a row at national level, which has once again taken them to the top of the table in the Greek Super League. Also interesting: In five of the eight league matches involving Olympiakos, a bet on the over 2.5 would have been crowned with success.
On the international stage, there was even more spectacle in the games of Martins’ eleven. In the past five European Cup matches (qualification + group phase), there were always at least three goals. The red and white team scored at least once in all nine matches, which is why we are convinced that betting on the over 2.5 will pay off in the clash between Olympiakos Piraeus and Frankfurt on Thursday evening.
In their home cauldron, the self-confident and proud Greeks will certainly be eager to take revenge for the first leg defeat. We therefore expect the home team to play boldly forward and, in the event of a win, to jump back to the top of the table in Group D and also set the course for the last 16. Coach Martins’ team is looking good in terms of personnel. Hardly any changes are expected compared to the 2-1 win at the weekend.
Predicted line-up of Olympiakos Piraeus:
Vaclik; Reabciuk, Ba, Papastathopoulos, Lala; M. Camara, M’Vila; Lopes, A. Camara, Masouras; Tiquinho
Last matches played by Olympiakos Piraeus:
Super League
10/30 2021 – Panetolikos 1 – 2 Olympiakos Piraeus
10/24 2021 – Olympiakos Piraeus 2 – 1 PAOK Thessaloniki FC
Europa League Grp. D
10/21 2021 – Eintracht Frankfurt 3 – 1 Olympiakos Piraeus
Super League
10/17 2021 – PAS Giannina 1 – 2 Olympiakos Piraeus
10/03 2021 – Olympiakos Piraeus 0 – 0 Panathinaikos
Frankfurt – Statistics & current form
For Frankfurt Eintracht, the UEFA Europa League currently offers a welcome break from the dreary daily grind in the Bundesliga. While the Hessians have their backs to the wall in the German Bundesliga, winning only one of ten games and only nine points overall, things are going much better on the international stage.
After a 1-1 draw against Fenerbahce at the start of the season, they first beat Antwerp 1-0 and then Olympiakos Piraeus 3-1 a fortnight ago. Especially in the first leg against the Greeks, the SGE showed perhaps their best performance of the season so far, apart from the 2-1 away win at FC Bayern.
Will Eintracht stay on course internationally?
If coach Oliver Glasner’s team can build on their performance next Thursday or show the “European face” in general, the black and red can also expect at least a point at Georgios Karaiskakis. Currently, odds of 1.55 are offered on the double chance X2 for the match Olympiakos Piraeus vs Frankfurt.
The fact is that Glasner’s team could definitely be satisfied with a point, especially as it would help them defend their group lead. Incidentally, if Eintracht even manage to win three games, they would already be through after four matchdays.
On the one hand, the fact that the Eagles got an emotional last-minute point at home against RB Leipzig at the weekend certainly gives hope in this context. On the other hand, it is also positive to note that the SGE have only failed to score in three of their 14 competitive matches this season. At the same time, keeper Kevin Trapp has only scored twice, which again can be used as an argument to justify the prediction of three or more goals in the course of the game between Olympiakos Piraeus and Frankfurt. With the exception of Jakic, Barkok and Lenz, all players appear fit for action.
Predicted Frankfurt line-up:
Trapp; Tuta, Hinteregger, Ndicka; Toure, Sow, Hrustic, Durm; Kamada, Kostic; Lammers
Last matches played by Frankfurt:
1st Bundesliga
10/30 2021 – Eintracht Frankfurt 1 – 1 RB Leipzig
10/24 2021 – Vfl Bochum 2 – 0 Eintracht Frankfurt
Europa League Grp. D
10/21 2021 – Eintracht Frankfurt 3 – 1 Olympiakos Piraeus
1st Bundesliga
10/16 2021 – Eintracht Frankfurt 1 – 2 Hertha Berlin
10/03 2021 – Bayern Munich 1 – 2 Eintracht Frankfurt
Olympiakos Piraeus – Frankfurt Direct Comparison / H2H Balance
The first leg a fortnight ago was the first and only meeting between these two teams at international level so far. Rafael Borre gave the SGE a 1-0 lead with a penalty. Youssef El-Arabi equalised to make it 1-1 in the meantime. Almamy Touré and Daichi Kamada, however, ultimately ensured a deserved 3-1 home win as they extended their record against Greek teams to three wins and one defeat.
Olympiakos Piraeus – Frankfurt tip
In Group D of the UEFA Europa League, Eintracht Frankfurt are currently leading the table with seven points out of a possible nine. Right behind the Hessians are the Greek champions, who after two wins to start with, lost 1:3 in the first leg a fortnight ago. The re-match will now take place on Thursday evening at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, where the Hessians traditionally give their own players loud support.
Not least for this reason, it is quite understandable that Olympiakos Piraeus is seen as the favourite against Frankfurt according to the betting odds. However, top odds of 2.50 for a home win underline the fact that the bookmakers are far from committing themselves to the home side leaving the pitch as winners. We, too, are sceptical in this respect and rather focus on the number of goals scored.
In our opinion, it makes the most sense to bet that at least three goals will be scored in the match before the clash between Olympiakos Piraeus and Frankfurt. In the past five European Cup matches involving Martins’ team, this bet has always gone through. Moreover, Eintracht have also been good for at least one goal and conceded goal per game in the current season.
