RB Leipzig vs Frankfurt – News and Probable Lineups

RB Leipzig is aiming to rejuvenate their Bundesliga season this Saturday as they host Eintracht Frankfurt at the Red Bull Arena.

Die Roten Bullen are keen to prevent their fourth defeat in five matches, while Die Adler are looking for only their second league win of the ongoing campaign.

Match overview

Martin Demichelis has faced a challenging beginning to his Leipzig spell, but the international break might provide a much-needed reset for the former Bayern Munich and Manchester City player.

Starting the 2026-27 season with a 3-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach thrilled fans, but only one win followed from their next four matches, placing the coach under significant pressure.

To exacerbate the situation, Demichelis’s team suffered a 2-0 loss against Bayer Leverkusen in their last outing, marking their third defeat in four games, which also included an unexpected 3-1 loss to Werder Bremen and a 4-1 setback against Como in the Champions League.

As Leipzig heads into this matchup eager to improve their season’s fortunes, they currently find themselves ninth in the Bundesliga with six points, just one behind fourth-placed Augsburg.

Recognizing that a win could revitalize their campaign, the hosts will be motivated by their strong home record at Red Bull Arena, where they have secured seven consecutive league victories and have yet to concede a goal this season.

On the other hand, Adi Hutter’s Frankfurt has had a rather uninspiring start to their season too, although they have displayed slightly more resilience compared to Leipzig.

Die Adler currently sit in 10th place in the league with only five points; however, they have experienced defeat just once in their five competitive matches so far, with two wins and two draws.

In their most recent top-flight encounter, Hutter’s side played to a 2-2 draw against Freiburg, which was particularly disappointing as they had taken the lead twice during the match.

This defensive vulnerability has been a recurrent issue for Frankfurt, who have yet to achieve a clean sheet other than their 4-0 victory in a friendly against second-tier Eintracht Braunschweig on October 2.

Nevertheless, the visitors’ attacking capabilities are worthy of respect, and their traveling supporters will be cautiously optimistic having witnessed their team earn four points and score six goals across their two away Bundesliga fixtures.

Team News

Leipzig will be missing midfielders Christoph Baumgartner (hamstring), Brajan Gruda (muscle strain), and Assan Ouedraogo (shoulder), while Rocco Reitz is a doubt due to a thigh injury.

If these four players are not fit to play, Demichelis may choose to deploy Ezechiel Banzuzi and Neil El Aynaoui in a central midfield partnership, with Christopher Nkunku taking the number 10 position.

In the attacking phase, striker Marc Guiu is recovering from a hamstring injury, but Romulo is expected to lead the attack, with support from the flanks by Tidam Gomis and Antonio Nusa.

For Frankfurt, they will be without forwards Jessic Ngankam and 18-year-old Malik Pimpong – the latter ruled out by manager Hutter after he returned from international duty with a ‘minor injury’ – yet Jonathan Burkardt is set to be available.

Additionally, midfielder Fares Chaibi and center-back Jeremiaha Maluze are doubtful due to illness, and if they are unavailable, Raphael Onyedika will likely partner with Noel Aseko-Nkili in front of a three-man defensive line that includes Nnamdi Collins, Lilian Brassier, and Robin Koch.

RB Leipzig probable starting XI:

Vandevoordt; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Banzuzi, El Aynaoui; Gomis, Nkunku, Nusa; Romulo

Eintracht Frankfurt probable starting XI:

Atubolu; Collins, Brassier, Koch; Knauff, Aseko-Nkili, Onyedika, Kosugi; Doan, Uzun; Burkardt

RB Leipzig was struggling ahead of the international break and will be eager to put in a strong performance on home turf, where they have shown promise this season.

Conversely, while Frankfurt may not emerge victorious, they could prove to be a frustrating opponent for their hosts given their goalscoring form away from Deutsche Bank Park.