Eintracht Frankfurt will be hoping to keep their brilliant form in the Europa League going as they welcome Slavia Prague on Thursday evening at Deutsche Bank Park. Frankfurt sits fifth in the Europa League standings with seven points, one of the eight automatic qualifying positions into the round of 16. Slavia Prague is 15th with four points and arrives after a narrow defeat to Athletic Bilbao by a score of 1-0.
Match Preview
This result was confirmed in Frankfurt’s last European match, a tight affair with few clear-cut chances that saw them see off RFS 1-0 thanks to a late Hugo Larsson strike. The Eagles recorded the first Europa League clean sheet of the season following high-scoring action against Viktoria Plzen and Besiktas in earlier encounters coming on the back of a 3-3 tie with Viktoria Plzen, then a 3-1 win over Besiktas.
Currently third in the Bundesliga with 17 points from nine games, Dino Toppmoller’s side has shown offensive prowess, including that stunning 7-2 win over VfL Bochum, leaving them six points behind league leaders Bayern Munich. Frankfurt has scored three or more goals in seven of their 14 matches this season, finding the net 15 times and conceding nine in their last seven games.
The German team have lost only once in their last 12 games, with eight wins and three draws on a four-game unbeaten run. They are unbeaten in the last eight home games – indeed nine straight unbeaten Europa League matches on their Deutsche Bank Park turf.
Slavia Prague’s Challenge
Slavia Prague comes into this fixture on the back of a frustrating loss to Athletic Bilbao, where they kept 71% possession of the ball and created two major chances but were undone by a single goal. Under coach Jindrich Trpisovsky, Slavia dominates the Czech First League, sitting first with 35 points, eight ahead of Viktoria Plzen. Their recent form reads 10 wins, two draws, and just one loss from their last 13 games, with eight goals scored and just two conceded in their last three outings.
While they have been solid on the road domestically, Slavia has struggled in European away matches, losing two of their last four in the competition. However, their recent performances indicate they could still be a threat, especially in the final third.
Form Overview
Eintracht Frankfurt Europa League Form: D-W-W
Eintracht Frankfurt All Competitions Form: D-L-W-D-W-W
Slavia Prague Europa League Form: W-D-L
Slavia Prague All Competitions Form: W-W-L-W-W-D
Team News
Eintracht Frankfurt
Regrettably, Frankfurt’s key casualties are midfielder Oscar Hojlund, who should return in late December, and defender Rasmus Kristensen, who will be out until late November. The likely custodian between the sticks will be Kevin Trapp, while the rear guard may well include Nnamdi Collins, Robin Koch, Tuta, and Niels Nkounkou. Those to form a central midfield pairing could be Ellyes Skhiri and Hugo Larsson, with Hugo Ekitike and Omar Marmoush at the front.
Slavia Prague
Slavia will have to do without the services of goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek and midfielder Lukas Vorlicky for a few weeks, until mid-November, along with injured defender Tomas Vlcek with a knee injury. Antonin Kinsky will likely begin between the sticks, with defenders David Zima and Jan Boril starting in defense. Christos Zafeiris and Oscar Dorley will more than likely begin in midfield, with Simion Michez, Lukas Provod, and Ondrej Zmrzly backing up striker Mojmir Chytil in the forward line.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Eintracht Frankfurt Possible XI
Trapp; Collins, Koch, Tuta, Nkounkou; Ebimbe, Skhiri, Larsson, Uzun; Ekitike, Marmoush
Slavia Prague Possible XI
Kinsky; Doudera, Zima, Boril, Diouf; Zafeiris, Dorley; Michez, Provod, Zmrzly; Chytil
Prediction: Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 Slavia Prague
Eintracht Frankfurt have a strong home record and come into this game with decent form. Slavia Prague may find opportunities against the sometimes brittle German defense, but Frankfurt’s overall consistency should see them through on Thursday.
