Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Heidenheim preview: Die Adler continue UCL push

Eintracht Frankfurt

Frankfurt will head into Sunday’s fixture in third position after winning 14, drawing six and losing eight of their 28 league games this season. While they occupy a top-four spot, die Adler have struggled for consistency in recent league games, having lost four of their previous six matches in the Bundesliga. They suffered three consecutive league defeats, before they returned to winning ways with back-to-back victories against Bochum and Stuttgart.

However, they were unable to make it three successive wins in last Saturday’s away meeting with Werder Bremen, as they fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat at the Weserstadion. Dino Toppmöller’s side had to quickly put that result behind for Thursday’s away trip to North London for their Europa League quarter-final first leg. Die Adler would have been content with a 1-1 draw after goalkeeper Kauã Santos made a number of important stops to deny Spurs a first-leg advantage. 

Frankfurt may have one eye on Thursday’s return leg, but their current focus will be on Sunday’s league fixture, with die Alder looking to maintain their 100% record in meetings with Heidenheim, having won each of their previous four head-to-head matches. They produced a dominant display in December’s reverse fixture, which saw them ease to a 4-0 victory at the Voith-Arena. 

Team News

Santos will continue in goal for the hosts, with Kevin Trapp set to miss a seventh consecutive game through injury.

Heidenheim

While Frankfurt are eyeing Champions League qualification, Heidenheim are battling to retain their Bundesliga status, having collected just 22 points from their 28 league matches this season. As a result, Frank Schmidt’s side are down in the relegation playoff spot, sitting seven points adrift of safety and just two points clear of the bottom two. 

Heidenheim recently put together a three-game unbeaten run (W2, D1) to boost their survival hopes, before that encouraging run of form was ended by a late goal in last Saturday’s home clash with Bayer Leverkusen. They looked set to hold the reigning champions to a goalless draw until Emiliano Buendía netted a 91st-minute winner to condemn Heidenheim to a narrow 1-0 defeat, representing their 10th loss in their 14 home league games this season. 

They will now head on their travels with hopes of claiming consecutive away wins after beating Wolfsburg 1-0 in their most recent road trip. However, that may be easier said than done, given the fact they have never recorded back-to-back away victories in the Bundesliga. 

Team News

The visitors remain without the services of Mathias Honsak and Budu Zivzivadze due to muscle and ankle injuries respectively.