Eintracht Frankfurt vs Bochum preview: Winless Bochum travel to Champions League hopefuls
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht advanced to the DFB-Pokal's third round after securing a 2-1 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach on Wednesday, despite losing Arthur Theate to a red card in the 15th minute.
Notably, Theate had also seen red in the 77th minute of Frankfurt's 1-1 league draw with Union Berlin on October 27. However, the Eagles managed to hold Union to a single shot following his dismissal.
In the Bundesliga, Frankfurt have struggled lately, recording two draws and one loss in their last three games. However, manager Dino Toppmöller may merit some understanding, as his side faced tough opponents in Bayern München, Bayer Leverkusen, and fourth-placed Union Berlin during this stretch.
So far this season, Frankfurt’s 16 goals have made them the Bundesliga’s fourth-highest scoring team, while their 12 conceded goals rank them as the seventh strongest defensively.
Though Frankfurt have kept only one clean sheet in their last 15 league games, they won four consecutive Bundesliga matches before their recent three-game winless streak.
It's also worth mentioning that Frankfurt has been tough to beat at Deutsche Bank Park, losing just one of their last 14 home games, with seven wins and six draws in that span.
Team News
Frankfurt will be missing centre-back Arthur Theate and right-back Rasmus Kristensen, which likely means Tuta, Robin Koch, and Aurele Amenda will line up in a back three ahead of goalkeeper Kevin Trapp.
With midfielder Oscar Hojlund sidelined until late December, Toppmoller may opt for a double pivot with Ellyes Skhiri and Hugo Larsson anchoring the midfield.
Omar Marmoush is expected to start in the forward line, likely alongside Mario Götze and Hugo Ekitike.
VfL Bochum
Bochum enter Saturday’s match off a tough 5-0 defeat to Bayern Munich on October 27, a game in which Bayern dominated with 72% possession, 19 shots, and six major chances.
Interim managers Markus Feldhoff and Murat Ural were at the helm against Bayern following the dismissal of Peter Zeidler, who was let go after a 3-1 loss to Hoffenheim on October 19.
Bochum's struggles this season are stark, with only seven goals scored and 22 conceded, ranking them as the league's second-worst in both offence and defence.
Already sitting seven points below the safety-line, Bochum face a steep challenge to close the gap, especially given their recent form, which includes nine losses and a draw in their last ten games.
Their away record paints a difficult picture as well: Bochum have lost 28, drawn seven, and won just four of their last 39 Bundesliga away games and currently is on a five-game losing streak away from home across all competitions.
Team News
Goalkeeper Manuel Riemann is unavailable due to an internal suspension, and defender Bernardo is out until late November.
Patrick Drewes is expected to step in as goalkeeper, with centre-backs Tim Oermann, Ivan Ordets, and Jakov Medic likely forming a back three.
Up front, the visitors will miss striker Myron Boadu and midfielder Matus Bero, so Moritz Broschinski and Dani de Wit are set to lead the attack, while Ibrahima Sissoko, Erhan Masovic, and Anthony Losilla could feature in central midfield.