Just before the next international break, VfB Stuttgart will host the team of the moment, Eintracht Frankfurt, at the Neckarstadion. The SGE (Sportgemeinschaft Eintracht) seems to have regained its former strength, partly thanks to a former Stuttgart player. For the players with the red stripe on their jerseys, this will be the next true endurance test.
In the past, games against Frankfurt, whether at the Neckarstadion or the Waldstadion, were pure agony. After the relegation in 2016 and Eintracht’s simultaneous success in the relegation playoffs, both clubs went in completely different directions: VfB spent a total of two years struggling in the second division and another two fighting for survival in the Bundesliga, while Eintracht soared from one success to the next, celebrated euphoric European nights, and finally crowned it all with their first international title in over 40 years. In head-to-head encounters, VfB usually came out on the losing end, often thanks to Filip Kostić, who repeatedly sent balls into our net from the left flank.
The 2023 cup semifinal, with Sebastian Hoeneß already on the sidelines, was a first indication that those times might be over: the Neckarstadion was buzzing as VfB and Eintracht battled long and hard for a spot in the final. Though Frankfurt ultimately prevailed, the game was more reminiscent of the legendary 5–4 match at the Waldstadion than of the usual disappointing performances against the Hessians. Last season, the tide then briefly turned: in Frankfurt, VfB narrowly won a match overshadowed by a confusing police operation, and the return game at the Neckarstadion was fairly one-sided. Eintracht once again qualified for the Europa League, while VfB reached the Champions League—where on Wednesday, we were beaten by our Frankfurt friends from Bergamo for the first time in over a year in our home stadium.
Why all the backstory? For one, I’m looking forward to a duel between two strong, evenly matched teams, with two fan bases sure to create an outstanding atmosphere once again. On the other hand, I am somewhat worried about the impressive form of Omar Marmoush and the superstition that ex-players always seem to score against us. Is VfB strong enough to face and beat a third powerful opponent within a week, and this time, unlike in Leverkusen and against Bergamo, to score?
Which brings us to the personnel situation.
Personnel Situation
Deniz Undav picked up a hamstring strain on Wednesday, and according to Hoeneß, his place in the starting eleven this afternoon is “a close call.” Jeff Chabot, who missed the cup match due to injury and was then suspended against the champions, was also not fit to start in the Champions League. Let’s hope he is today, although I can’t place much blame on Anthony Rouault and Anrie Chase. Leo Stergiou was already back in the squad on Wednesday, so he should also be available against Frankfurt. Zagadou and Leweling remain out.
Possible Lineup
Assuming that Undav will be rested initially and that Chabot is fit to start, we can expect some changes up front. This would mean El Bilal would start for the fourth time in the last four games, and he’ll be traveling with Mali again next week. It’s possible Hoeneß will give him a half or 60 minutes off the bench.
Statistics
This will be the 103rd Bundesliga encounter between these two teams, with VfB currently ahead with 44 wins to 35. In recent years, however, VfB has managed only a handful of home wins against SGE: 2024, 2018, 2015, and 2012. As for our opponent, Frankfurt has scored the second most goals in the league after Bayern, an achievement partly due to their impressive 7–2 win over Bochum. But even without that game, they share a strength with our last opponent: they are very efficient. Of their 46 shots on target, 23 have gone in—meaning one in every two shots finds the back of the net, the best rate in the Bundesliga. They have also scored almost four more goals than expected, placing them second in the league behind Bayern. It’s the same with goal-creating actions, meaning the two to three moves leading to a goal. On the other hand, SGE has conceded only two fewer goals than VfB and, along with Bochum and Kiel, allows the most shots on goal. They also lead the league in goals conceded from corners, with four, although they probably aren’t thrilled about that.
Omar Marmoush is, of course, the main focus right now. He has already collected 10 goals and six assists in nine league games, with only Harry Kane currently outpacing him. Only Ermedin Demirović has a slightly higher goals-per-90-minutes ratio without penalties.
Conclusion
It’s clear that VfB and Eintracht are now operating on equal footing, as none of the mentioned statistics leave Frankfurt far ahead. And even if Wednesday’s loss dampened spirits a bit, VfB has still lost only two of the first nine league games. Over the last 43 games since the beginning of last season, there have been just nine losses. VfB showed solid organization against Bergamo, as well as against Kaiserslautern and Kiel, and managed to withstand Leverkusen’s onslaught for 90 minutes. If they can bring both these elements to the field today, we might head into the international break with a win and gain some upward momentum in the standings—a promising position at the tenth match, even if it’s only the first third of the season.
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