Eintracht Frankfurt finished the year 2024 on a negative note after going five matches without a win in competitive games (D1, L4). However, they have started the new year strongly, securing back-to-back victories in the league and currently sitting in third place in the standings. They now have the opportunity to win three consecutive league matches for the third time this season, with the previous two wins both coming at home with clean sheets.
Frankfurt had actually remained unbeaten at home in the league until late December, but suffered a 3-1 defeat to Mainz in their final match of the year, marking only their second home loss in the entire year of 2024. In this fixture against Borussia Dortmund, Frankfurt will need to rely on the support of their home crowd, as they have failed to win in their last seven attempts against Dortmund at home (D5, L2).
Dortmund experienced a significant setback by losing 4-2 away to Bundesliga newcomers Holstein Kiel during the week, a result which was described as “shameful” by managing director Lars Ricken. With consecutive defeats, pressure is mounting on manager Nuri Sahin, as Dortmund have recorded their worst performance at the halfway point of a Bundesliga season (W7, D4, L6) since 2014/2015.
Things may not necessarily improve for Dortmund in this situation, as they have lost four out of their five away league matches against teams below eighth place. This record is even more concerning considering that they haven’t faced any of the top four Bundesliga teams away from home yet, so closing the gap to the top four could become even more challenging after this matchday.
Key players to keep an eye on: Mario Götze, who provided an assist in their last victory, will be facing his former club. However, he has yet to defeat them since joining his current team, with only one draw and four losses. Jamie Gittens, who has scored seven goals this season and found the net in the previous matchday, is one of Dortmund’s top scorers. His brace in the opening matchday against Frankfurt has contributed to his goal tally.
Interesting statistic: Out of the 110 competitive head-to-head matches between the two teams, only two have ended in a goalless draw!
