Bayer Leverkusen is set to face Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday evening, aiming to maintain their slim title hopes in the Bundesliga.
Eintracht Frankfurt is looking to rebound from a 2-0 defeat against Bayern München last weekend. The team struggled defensively, conceding six significant chances while failing to create any opportunities of their own. Frankfurt has not kept a clean sheet in their last six matches, allowing 11 goals during this stretch, and they face a challenging matchup against a Leverkusen side eager to keep their title aspirations alive.
Despite recent struggles, Frankfurt has a strong home record, winning nine and drawing two of their last 12 matches at Deutsche Bank Park. However, they will need to adjust their defense as Tuta is suspended and Robin Koch is injured. Rasmus Kristensen, Nnamdi Collins, and Arthur Theate are expected to form a back three, supported by wing-backs Ansgar Knauff and Nathaniel Brown. Striker Igor Matanovic is nearing a return but may not be ready for this match, leaving Hugo Ekitiké to lead the attack alongside Mario Götze and Can Uzun.
Bayer Leverkusen, managed by Xabi Alonso, remains unbeaten in 21 Bundesliga matches but has drawn three of their last five league games. They cannot afford another slip-up if they wish to challenge Bayern for the title. Leverkusen recently secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Holstein Kiel, limiting their opponents to just one shot inside the box while creating 14 chances. The team has kept three consecutive clean sheets, matching their total from the previous 10 games combined.
Leverkusen's title hopes are considered slim due to Bayern's favorable schedule, with seven of their remaining 11 fixtures against lower-ranked teams. Nevertheless, Leverkusen is confident after defeating Frankfurt 2-1 in their previous encounter on October 19, marking their fourth consecutive win over the Eagles.
In terms of team news, Leverkusen will be without Piero Hincapié due to suspension, and Jeanuel Belocian is out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury. Mario Hermoso is expected to fill in the back three alongside Edmond Tapsoba and Jonathan Tah. In attack, Amine Adli, Florian Wirtz, and Victor Boniface are likely to start, while Martin Terrier and Nathan Tella remain unavailable. Leverkusen also boasts an impressive away record, having gone 28 Bundesliga matches unbeaten on the road, winning 20 of those encounters.
With momentum on their side, Bayer Leverkusen aims to extend their unbeaten streak and keep their title aspirations alive.
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