Eintracht, fresh from the pulsating 3-2 loss at Tottenham, will be looking to turn their attention to their Bundesliga action where they need to bounce back from the 3-0 loss away to Bochum last weekend. They will look to get back their winning touch when they host Leverkusen at the Deutsche Bank Park on Saturday at 14:30 GMT.
Leverkusen will be looking to recover from the 0-3 loss at home to Porto on Wednesday when they travel to face Eintracht.
Match Preview
Can Eintracht Regain their Winning Touch with a Win on Saturday?
Oliver Glasner will be looking to get his side back to winning form and thus recover from two bad results in the Bundesliga and the Champions League. The focus will be on getting his players to play with confidence and composure.
Glasner’s target will be on establishing a dynamic yet daring defense-attack balance, which is crucial in bolstering their chances of winning matches.
Against Leverkusen, Eintracht will look to leverage home support as they look to play their way back to winning form.
Can Leverkusen Re-Discover their Killer Instinct in the Bundesliga on Saturday?
New manager Xabi Alonso will be expected to get positive results right away as he sets about re-gaining Leverkusen’s form and climbing the table.
Alonso will look to get his side to play progressive and exciting football even as he works to get their defense into good shape. The focus will be to use their defensive structure as the basis to lunch attacks through pressing and transitions.
The high-energy football favored by Alonso will have to adjust to the dynamics of the team that is currently low in confidence following a bad start to the season.
Form Guide
Eintracht
Eintracht have won four times in the opening nine fixtures of the Bundesliga season. Glasner’s charges have also drawn twice and lost three times. This means that they have collected 14 points out of the available 27. They currently sit 8th on the table, two points behind the top-four places.
Glasner’s charges have scored 16 goals across the nine outings; they have also conceded 16 goals in the process. Eintracht will be looking to bolster their defensive shape without blunting their attacking third.
In the last five matches, Eintracht have won three times and lost twice; they have collected nine points and dropped six in this run.
Leverkusen
Alonso’s men have had a bad start to the season; the new manager has a rebuilding job in his hands as he embarks on his managerial career in the Bundesliga with the clash against Eintracht.
Across the season, Leverkusen have won twice, drawn twice, and lost five times. They have collected eight points, and they currently sit 15th in the Bundesliga, three points above the drop zone.
Leverkusen have scored 13 goals and conceded 16 goals in the process; this highlights the challenges they are facing this season. Over the last five outings, Alonso’s new charges have won once, drawn twice, and lost twice.
Possible Starting Lineups
Eintracht
Trapp; L. Pellegrini, E. Ndicka, Tuta, K. Jakic; E, J. Dina Ebimbe, D. Sow; M. Gotze, J. Lindstrom; L. Alario, R. S. B. Maury
Leverkusen
Hradecky; O. Kossounou, J. Tah, P. Hincapie, M. Bakker; C. Aranguiz, K. Demirbay; A. Adli, M. Diaby, C. Hudson-Odoi; P. Schick
Players to Watch
Lindstrom
The 22-year-old Danish international has three goals for Eintracht this season in the Bundesliga; he has also scored one goal in the Champions League.
His attacking cutting edge underscores his importance going forward for Eintracht; however, Lindstrom is also crucial in pressing and in the creative phase of Glasner’s approach.
The Dane will be crucial for Eintracht as they look to regain their winning touch on Saturday.
Hudson-Odoi
The Chelsea loanee will be crucial for Leverkusen as Xabi Alonso looks to turn around their form. His pace down the wide areas will be crucial for the team as they look to open defenses and leverage transitions.
Odoi is also disciplined in his style; he can press from the front and can protect the fullback as well.
Prediction
Eintracht will look to play on the front foot, control possession, and exert attacking pressure throughout the match.
Leverkusen will look to be pragmatic at the beginning, frustrate Eintracht and pose a danger through the counter-attack.
Eintracht will win the match.
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