Eintracht Frankfurt will look to bring an end to their winless run when they host Bayer Leverkusen at Deutsche Bank Park on Saturday.

Bayer Leverkusen will look to build on their win last time out when they hit the road to square up against Eintracht Frankfurt. Both clubs are looking to push for a European spot, and this fixture could have a big say in that race.

The home team are 8th on the table with 27 points in their 19 matches. While Die Adler have been in decent form throughout, the recent weeks have not gone according to plan. They have been winless in their last seven matches across competitions, and five of those matches have come in the Bundesliga.

Now, Eintracht Frankfurt only have a three-point lead over ninth-placed Union Berlin, and they are five points behind Leverkusen, who have a game in hand. They are heading into this fixture on the back of a defeat at the hands of Tottenham and will certainly have to do better to stand a chance against Leverkusen.

The visitors are sixth on the table with 32 points in their 18 outings. They are four points behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig, but with a game in hand, Leverkusen will look to close that gap. After two consecutive defeats in the league, they returned to winning ways against Werder Bremen.

Leverkusen are now heading into this fixture on the back of an impressive 3-0 win over Villarreal. It was a dominant display, and they will be confident about putting up a similar performance against a struggling Frankfurt outfit. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.

Team News & Tactics

Eintracht Frankfurt

The home team will be without the services of Michy Batshuayi (foot), Elias Baum (knee), Jonathan Burkardt (calf), Younes Ebnoutalib (undisclosed), and Can Uzun (thigh) this weekend.

Eintracht Frankfurt will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Kaua Santos will feature in goal. Robin Koch will start alongside Arthur Theate and Nnamdi Collins in the heart of the defence. The trio will look to keep things tight at the back and will receive significant support from Rasmus Kristensen and Nathaniel Brown, who will feature as wing-backs.

As for the midfield unit, Ellyes Skhiri will start alongside Hugo Larsson in the double pivot in the centre of the park. The Eintracht Frankfurt duo will look to ensure the Bayer Leverkusen midfielders do not run the show.

Ritsu Doan and Fares Chaibi will be the two attacking midfielders behind Arnaud Kalimuendo-Muinga, who is expected to lead the line for Eintracht Frankfurt aganinst Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Santos; Collins, Koch, Theate; Kristensen, Larsson, Skhiri, Brown; Doan, Chaibi; Kalimuendo

Bayer Leverkusen

The visitors will be without the services of Eliesse Ben Seghir (ankle), Nathan Tella (foot), Mark Flekken (knee), and Victor Boniface (knee), as they are in the treatment room. Meanwhile, Loic Bade is suspended for this fixture.

Bayer Leverkusen will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Janis Blaswich will feature in goal. Robert Andrich will start alongside Jarell Quansah and Jeanuel Belocian in the central defensive partnership.

The trio will receive significant support from Lucas Vazquez and Alejandro Grimaldo, who will take charge as the wing-backs. In the centre of the park, Ibrahim Maza will partner with Aleix Garcia. The duo will look to try to control the tempo of the game.

Jonas Hofmann and Malik Tillman will feature as the two attacking midfielders behind Patrik Schick, who will be spearhead the Bayer Leverkusen attack against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday afternoon.

Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Blaswich; Quansah, Andrich, Belocian; Vazquez, Maza, Garcia, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Tillman; Schick

Key Stats

• After a run of three straight defeats across competitions, Bayer Leverkusen have won their last two games.
• Eintracht Frankfurt are winless in their last seven games across competitions (winless in their last five league games).
• Kasper Hjulmand’s team have lost three out of their last four away matches.
• Eintracht Frankfurt have conceded at least two goals in seven consecutive matches.
• The Eagles have the third-best attack in the division, having bagged 39 goals.

Player to Watch

Patrik Schick

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Schick will be the player to watch against Eintracht Frankfurt, given his overall impact this season despite a slight dip in form. The Czech striker has featured in 23 matches across competitions, scoring nine goals and providing three assists, underlining his importance in the final third.

While he has failed to find the back of the net in his last two league outings, Schick’s movement, aerial presence, and ability to hold up play continue to make him a constant threat. He will be eager to rediscover his scoring touch and could prove decisive in a high-stakes encounter.

Prediction

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen

Eintracht Frankfurt’s struggles at the back and their ongoing winless run make this a daunting challenge against a Bayer Leverkusen side that appears to be rediscovering its rhythm. While the hosts possess enough attacking quality to trouble the visitors, their lack of defensive stability could once again prove costly against a team that moves the ball quickly and exploits spaces with intent.

Bayer Leverkusen’s recent performances suggest they are well placed to control proceedings and strike at key moments, with Patrik Schick likely to play a pivotal role in the final third. If they replicate the intensity and cohesion shown in recent outings, the visitors should have enough to come away with all three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Kasper Hjulmand and his charges.