Frankfurt vs Stuttgart – News and Probable Lineups

As the Bundesliga approaches its thrilling finale, Eintracht Frankfurt is set to face Stuttgart at Deutsche Bank Park this Saturday as both teams chase European competition.

Die Adler are eager to secure their first win in five matches this weekend, while Die Roten aim for consecutive victories.

Match overview

Frankfurt has faced a challenging season and made a managerial change mid-way through the campaign, yet their current head coach Albert Riera might still lead his team to UEFA competition.

Due to Stuttgart’s advancement to the DFB-Pokal final, finishing seventh in the Bundesliga will now suffice for a place in the Conference League playoffs, although it remains a tough challenge for Die Adler to achieve this.

Riera’s squad is positioned eighth in the standings with just one matchday left, trailing seventh-place Freiburg by one point and tied on 43 points with ninth-placed Augsburg.

Thus, Frankfurt needs to win and hope for a Freiburg loss, or if they draw, they must rely on Freiburg to lose while Augsburg does not win.

While this may seem straightforward, Die Adler have been struggling recently and are coming into this pivotal match with a four-game winless streak, their last victory dating back to a 2-1 win against Wolfsburg on April 11.

To exacerbate the situation, Riera’s team lost 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in their most recent match, resulting in three defeats in their last four fixtures before Saturday’s battle.

On the other hand, Stuttgart, managed by Sebastian Hoeness, has been consistently vying for a place in the Champions League this season, which is particularly impressive considering the departure of players like Nick Woltemade last summer.

Die Roten currently sit fourth in the Bundesliga going into this weekend’s final round, but their position is precarious, as they are level on points with fifth-place Hoffenheim (61) and only three points ahead of sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen.

Nevertheless, Hoeness’s team enjoys a five-goal difference advantage over Hoffenheim, which means a win would likely secure their position in UEFA’s top club competition.

However, should Stuttgart not achieve victory, they will depend on results from other matches, wishing that Die Kraichgauer and Leverkusen also falter.

In terms of form, Die Roten have lost only once in their last six games across all competitions and are buoyed by their crucial 3-1 win against Die Werkself on May 9.

Team News

Frankfurt will be missing center-back Nnamdi Collins once again as he continues to recover from an ankle injury, while goalkeeper Jens Grahl is doubtful due to a thigh problem.

In light of these absences, Michael Zetterer is expected to take his place in goal, with Robin Koch and Arthur Theate forming the central defensive partnership.

For Stuttgart, they will be without defensive midfielder Atakan Karazor, who remains banned after his red card against Hoffenheim on May 2; however, Angelo Stiller and Chema Andres should step in to play centrally.

Additionally, Finn Jeltsch is a doubt due to an abdominal injury, prompting Hoeness to potentially opt for a back three comprising Ramon Hendriks, Julian Chabot, and Maximilian Mittelstadt on Saturday.

Eintracht Frankfurt probable starting XI:

Zetters; Kristensen, Amenda, Koch, Brown; Uzun, Skhiri, Hojlund; Doan, Kalimuendo, Bahoya

Stuttgart probable starting XI:

Nubel; Hendriks, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Lewelling, Chema, Stiller, Fuhrich; Nartey; Undav, Demirovic

Frankfurt will be driven by the prospect of qualifying for European competition this weekend, but considering their recent difficulties, it’s hard to predict them coming out victorious.

Conversely, Stuttgart understands that a win should suffice for them to secure a spot in the Champions League on Saturday, and they will be filled with confidence following their recent victory over Leverkusen.