Frankfurt vs. Hamburg SV – News and Probable Lineups

Deutsche Bank Park will serve as the setting for a crucial showdown in the Bundesliga relegation battle, as Eintracht Frankfurt welcomes struggling Hamburgo SV on Saturday.

Die Adler aim for their first victory in three matches, while HSV could secure their place in the top division with an unlikely win.

Match overview

Frankfurt have faced a bumpy 2025-26 season, currently sitting in seventh place and unable to reach the top six. However, it can be said that Albert Riera has notably enhanced the team’s perspective since taking over from Dino Toppmoller.

The former Liverpool winger stepped in as head coach of Die Adler in early February, following Toppmoller’s exit after a disappointing 3-3 draw with Werder Bremen mid-January, which left the team with just one win in their previous nine fixtures.

Riera celebrated his first victory when he led the squad to a 3-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach on Valentine’s Day. While he has only managed three more wins since then, the new manager has ensured that there have been no gaps of more than two matches between victories.

Apart from his record, it’s noteworthy that Die Adler have succumbed to just three defeats in his eleven matches in charge, and those losses were all narrow results: a 3-2 setback against Bayern Munich on February 21, a 2-1 loss to in-form Mainz 05 on March 22, and a 3-1 defeat against third-placed RB Leipzig on April 18.

As they head into Saturday’s encounter, the hosts are expected to be optimistic, with three wins, one draw, and just one loss from five home games under Riera; however, they need to rebound after failing to secure a win in their last two Bundesliga matches – the latest being a 1-1 draw with Augsburg.

On the other hand, Merlin Polzin’s Hamburgo achieved promotion from the 2.Bundesliga by finishing as runners-up in the second tier during the 2024-25 season, and they are on the verge of ensuring another year in the top league.

With only three matches left in the Bundesliga schedule, HSV currently stands 15th, accumulating 31 points, five points clear of 16th-placed St Pauli, who is in the relegation playoff position.

Since only nine points remain available this season, a win for Polzin’s squad along with any result for Kiezkicker would confirm their safety at the expense of their city rivals.

However, Hamburgo has only managed one victory in their last ten matches, defeating Wolfsburg 2-1 on March 7. Furthermore, they have experienced losses in four of their last five games, including three consecutive defeats leading up to this weekend’s fixture.

To compound the issue, the visitors have been defeated in their last three away contests preceding Saturday’s visit to Deutsche Bank Park, allowing three goals or more in each match.

Nonetheless, some hopeful HSV supporters might refer to the team’s unexpected four-game unbeaten streak away from home – which began with a 0-0 draw at St Pauli on January 21 and culminated in the victory over Wolfsburg in March – as a glimmer of hope.

Team News

Frankfurt will be without goalkeepers Jens Grahl and Kaua Santos due to thigh and knee injuries, respectively; however, Michael Zetterer is poised to start in goal.

The goalkeeper is anticipated to be shielded by a defensive trio consisting of Aurele Amenda, Robin Koch, and Arthur Theate, as Nnamdi Collins is ruled out for the season due to an ankle injury.

On the offensive end, versatile right winger Ritsu Doan is serving a suspension after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season against Augsburg, while left winger Jean-Matteo Bahoya is questionable due to a thigh injury, which may open the door for Fares Chaibi and Nathaniel Brown to take the positions.

For Hamburgo, they will be undermanned on the wings this weekend, missing loanee winger Philip Otele, suspended after a red card against Werder Bremen on April 18, along with left wing-back Miro Muheim, who is sidelined for the rest of the season due to an ankle injury.

Nineteen-year-old left winger Alexander Rossing-Lelesiit is also likely to miss out as indicated by manager Polzin, following a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury during training. On the bright side, Bakery Jatta and Albert Grosbeak should be available to provide width for the visitors.

Eintracht Frankfurt probable starting XI:

Zetterer; Amenda, Koch, Theate; Chaibi, Larsson, Hojlund, Brown; Uzun, Knauff; Kalimuendo

Hamburgo SV probable starting XI:

Fernandes; Capaldo, Torunarigha, Omari; Jatta, Remberg, Lokonga, Gronbaek; Scallop; Konigsdorffer, Glatzel

Under Riera’s management, Frankfurt hasn’t gone beyond two matches without a win, and they will be hopeful to get the better of their relegation-threatened rivals this weekend.

Hamburgo has lost four out of their last five matches, including three consecutive losses before the kickoff, and while the chance for safety may fuel their motivation, they might once again leave empty-handed.