In their fourth Europa League game of the 2024-25 season, Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt will look to continue their strong European campaign when they host Czech First League team Slavia Prague at Deutsche Bank Park on Thursday.
The German team are sixth in the Europa League table with seven points and occupy one of the competition's eight automatic qualifying spots for the round of 16, while the visitors are 16th with four points and lost 1-0 against Athletic Bilbao on October 24.
Match preview
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Eintracht Frankfurt beat RFS 1-0 in their last European match on October 24, a game in which they created few chances of real quality but won thanks to Hugo Larsson's 79th-minute winner.
The Eagles' win against RFS was the first time they had kept a clean sheet in the Europa League having drawn 3-3 with Viktoria Plzen in late September and beaten Besiktas 3-1 on October 3.
Dino Toppmoller's side are third in the Bundesliga with 17 points after nine matchweeks and their 7-2 victory against VfL Bochum left them six points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
Toppmoller's team have scored three or more goals in seven of their 14 matches this term and have netted 15 times and conceded on nine occasions in their last seven games.
Eintracht Frankfurt have won three and drawn one of their four most recent fixtures and have lost just once in their last 12 games, prevailing in eight and drawing three in that period.
The hosts are also unbeaten in their last eight matches at Deutsche Bank Park, winning their most recent three, and they are also unbeaten in their last nine Europa League home matches having triumphed in four and drawn five.
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Meanwhile, Slavia Prague have lost three, drawn one and won one of their last five games in the competition and have also been beaten in four and triumphed in three of their last seven away matches in the Europa League.
The visitors will arguably be perplexed by their defeat against Athletic Bilbao considering they accumulated 71% possession and produced two big chances from their 1.07 xG in comparison to the Spanish side's zero big chances and 0.17 xG.
Manager Jindrich Trpisovsky's team are currently first in the Czech top flight with 35 points after 13 games and are already eight points clear of second-placed Viktoria Plzen.
Trpisovsky's side have won 10, drawn two and lost just one of their last 13 matches, scoring eight goals and conceding twice in their three most recent games.
The away team have also lost just two of their last 14 fixtures on the road, though they have suffered defeat in two of their last four away matches in European competitions.
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Team News
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Eintracht Frankfurt have relatively few injury concerns to contend with, though midfielder Oscar Hojlund is not scheduled to return until late December, while defender Rasmus Kristensen will likely be unavailable until late November.
The hosts will almost certainly select Kevin Trapp to start in goal behind a back four consisting of Nnamdi Collins, Robin Koch, Tuta and Niels Nkounkou.
Ellyes Skhiri and Hugo Larsson are candidates to feature in a double pivot, while Hugo Ekitike could partner Omar Marmoush in the forward line.
The visitors will be without goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek and midfielder Lukas Vorlicky until the middle of November, as well as defender Tomas Vlcek, who is out as a result of a knee injury.
Antonin Kinsky is likely to start in goal behind centre-backs David Zima and Jan Boril, while Christos Zafeiris and Oscar Dorley may start together in midfield.
Forward Daniel Fila is also a doubt, so expect Simion Michez, Lukas Provod and Ondrej Zmrzly to support striker Mojmir Chytil.
Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:
Trapp; Collins, Koch, Tuta, Nkounkou; Ebimbe, Skhiri, Larsson, Uzun; Ekitike, Marmoush
Slavia Prague possible starting lineup:
Kinsky; Doudera, Zima, Boril, Diouf; Zafeiris, Dorley; Michez, Provod, Zmrzly; Chytil
We say: Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 Slavia Prague
Eintracht Frankfurt are in good form and their strong home record should make them favourites to win on Thursday.
However, Slavia Prague will likely have opportunities in the final third given their hosts' poor defensive showings in the Europa League, and it would not be surprising if they scored at least once.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
