Best Odds: 19/20
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Desperate to shore up their spot in the European chase, Eintracht Frankfurt will welcome Werder Bremen to Deutsche Bank Park on Friday night.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Starting with the hosts, while Eintracht Frankfurt might still be sat in pole position to punch another European ticket in 2024, the Eagles are certainly seeking some welcomed stability. Marking their return from March’s international break with a 0-0 stalemate at home against Union Berlin, Dino Toppmoller’s men have recorded just a pair of victories from any of their previous 10 appearances across all competitions a run that stems back to January 26th. Coming under plenty of scrutiny last month as they came crashing out of the Europa Conference League following a 4-3 aggregate defeat against Royale Union. Facing what is certainly a must-win showdown here, Toppmoller will have a headache over his side’s issues on home soil. Along with winning just one of their last five contests in front of their own supporters, the Eagles have not collected consecutive victories at Deutsche Bank Park since opening the New Year.
Team News
Despite making a January move from Wolves, Austrian international Sasa Kalajdzic will miss the rest of the season after sustaining another long-term knee injury. Likewise, dealing with his own respective knee issue on either side of March’s international break, skipper Sebastian Rode is not expected to feature here.
However, after serving a one-match suspension against Union Berlin last week, one-time Benfica starlet Buta will return to Toppmoller’s squad. Despite failing to open his Bundesliga account after completing a January switch from French giants PSG, 21-year-old Hugo Ekitike should spearhead Frankfurt’s charge.
Werder Bremen
As for the visitors, while Werder Bremen might still be dreaming of the chance to secure a top-half finish this season, Ole Werner’s men are at the heart of an extended Bundesliga struggle. Last seen marking their return from March’s international break as they slumped to a toothless 2-0 loss at home against Wolfsburg, the River Islanders have now lost all of their previous four top-flight appearances on the bounce. Heading into the fortnight interval with a 2-1 loss away at Union Berlin, they have also continued to show some glaring defensive issues. Losing their last four Bundesliga showdowns by an aggregate score of 8-3, Werder Bremen have recorded just a single clean sheet over the past couple of months. Despite snatching a 2-2 stalemate when they welcomed Frankfurt to town for their reverse meeting on November 12th, Werner’s men should face a tricky challenge here.
Team News
Shown a straight red card against Wolfsburg last weekend, Werder Bremen will be unable to call upon 32-year-old Anthony Jung on Friday night. Likewise, all still dealing with respective injury issues, Werner will be unable to call upon the likes of David Kownacki, Justin Njinmah and Niklas Stark here.
However, after serving a one-match ban last week, Senne Lynen will return to Bremen’s squad. Although former Hannover striker Marvin Ducksch might have failed to find the net in any of his previous eight Bundesliga appearances, the 30-year-old will spearhead Werner’s attack.
Key Factors to Consider
