Eintracht Frankfurt are enjoying their best Bundesliga season in decades, but they are fully aware that only a near-perfect performance will give them a chance of overcoming league leaders Bayern Munich on Sunday.
With 22 of the 34 league matches played, Frankfurt currently sit third and are on course to secure a top-four finish for the first time since the 1992-93 season. Their Europa League triumph in 2022 granted them their first-ever participation in the Champions League, and securing another opportunity to compete among Europe’s elite would be a fitting reward for manager Dino Toppmöller’s side.
Despite losing key player Omar Marmoush to Manchester City, Frankfurt have continued to impress this season. However, their next challenge is a daunting one—a visit to Bayern Munich, who hold an eight-point lead over second-placed Bayer Leverkusen and appear destined to reclaim the Bundesliga title.
Although Bayern are clear favourites, Frankfurt have managed to trouble the German giants in recent encounters. Their thrilling 3-3 draw in October made them one of just four teams—alongside Leverkusen, Mainz, and Borussia Dortmund—to have taken points off Bayern this season. In fact, Bayern have won only one of their last four meetings with Frankfurt, but Eagles captain Kevin Trapp remains cautious.
Speaking on Thursday, Trapp acknowledged the gulf between the two sides. “We are third, and Bayern are 13 points ahead of us—that speaks for itself,” he said. The goalkeeper stressed that his team must deliver an exceptional display to stand any chance of earning a result. “We need to be close to perfect to take a point or more from this match,” he added.
Despite leading the league comfortably, Bayern come into Sunday’s game on the back of two consecutive draws. Trapp anticipates that the hosts will be eager to secure a victory to avoid any talk of a crisis in Munich.
Bayern could be without their star striker Harry Kane, who was forced off at half-time during Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Celtic. Meanwhile, Frankfurt have their own selection concerns, with defender Robin Koch ruled out and midfielder Mario Götze doubtful due to illness.
Frankfurt boss Toppmöller underlined the need for a well-executed strategy, an outstanding performance, and a touch of luck. “We need a clear plan, a top performance, and a bit of fortune,” he said on Friday, urging his players to remain composed and show “a high tolerance for frustration.”
Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen will travel to bottom-placed Holstein Kiel in a bid to keep their faint hopes of defending the Bundesliga title alive.
Their manager, Xabi Alonso, admitted that surpassing Bayern remains an uphill battle, especially after Friday’s Champions League draw confirmed that the two clubs will face each other in the last 16. However, Alonso remains optimistic.
