Union Berlin vs Eintracht Frankfurt preview: Can Barca's conquerors overpower Die Eisernen?
Fresh off the back of one of the most memorable nights in their history, Eintracht Frankfurt head to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei in the knowledge that a victory is needed to rekindle their hopes of finishing in the European places.
| Oliver Glasner. |
Union Berlin
Union are riding a crest of a wave after beating their local rivals Hertha BSC in the Berlin derby last weekend.
It was a win that will live long in the memory for Union fans, with Genki Haraguchi, Grischa Prömel, Sheraldo Becker and Sven Michel all finding the net in the 4-1 thrashing of Hertha.
Not only did the win ensure Union claimed back-to-back wins in the Bundesliga, but it also represented the third time that Die Eisernen have beaten their city neighbours this season.
As Urs Fischer's side turn their focus to Sunday's contest, they will be aware that they cannot afford to dwell on the derby victory, with the hosts embroiled in a fierce battle for European qualification.
They enter the encounter in eighth position, with just two points separating them from FC Köln, who sit in sixth place.
While they will be determined to put in a positive performance in on Sunday, the hosts will also have one eye on their DFB-Pokal semi-final tie against RB Leipzig that will take place in midweek, and it will be Fischer's task to ensure his players do not get distracted by that cup game.
Team News
Andreas Luthe is available once again for the hosts, but Frederik Rønnow is expected to keep his place in goal after conceding just one goal across the last two matches. Paul Jaeckel, meanwhile, could return to the starting lineup, having served his one-match suspension.
Eintracht Frankfurt
It is highly probably that Frankfurt are still on cloud nine after putting in a sensational display to knock Barcelona out of the Europa League.
Frankfurt's fans took over the Camp Nou and the party atmosphere in the stands was reflected in the performance on the pitch, with Die Adler enjoying themselves as they clinched a 3-2 victory on the night.
Filip Kostić performed on the biggest stage, scoring either side of a sensational Rafael Borré piledriver, and though Barca grabbed two late goals, it was all too late to stop Frankfurt from clinching an infamous victory.
West Ham United await Oliver Glasner's side in the semi-finals, but before they can worry about that tie, Frankfurt must focus once again on domestic matters.
As it stands, Die Adler may have to win the Europa League to participate in European competition next season with Die Adler currently residing in tenth position. Although, a win over Union would close the gap to the top six to just four points. The visitors have every chance of doing just that, as Frankfurt tend to do their best work on their travels, demonstrated by the fact they boast the fifth-best away record in the league.
Team News
Glasner has stated that Djibril Sow is still absent due to a knee problem, which could see the visitors operate with a central midfield pairing of Kristijan Jakić and Sebastian Rode.