After many years on the peripheries of success, 2022 proved to be a year that fans of Eintracht Frankfurt will never forget as they lifted the UEFA Europa League trophy and progressed to the final 16 of the UEFA Champions League for the very first time. Manager Oliver Glasner recently reminisced about that ‘incredibly beautiful year’ ahead of the resumption of their promising Bundesliga campaign against Schalke.
Frankfurt find themselves in the top-four ahead of the restart after enjoying their best 15-game start to a Bundesliga campaign since 1993/94, a season in which they finished fifth and achieved European qualification. Perhaps a game against Schalke is the perfect way to return to action in search of replicating that feat, as Frankfurt have more Bundesliga home wins against them than any other side (W27, D9, L11).
Currently enduring their second-worst 15-game start to a Bundesliga campaign since having only seven points at this stage during their infamous 2020/21 relegation season, Schalke once again find themselves in a battle to beat the drop. Five points separate Schalke from safety ahead of the restart, but perhaps the World Cup break came at a good time as it gave Thomas Reis’ injured players time to recover ahead of the restart.
Reis has just one win from four games (W1, L3) since taking over the reins, but winning away from home seems a more immediate issue as Schalke are currently on a 35-game winless run of top-flight away games (D10, L25). Should they fail to win this game, it will set an unwanted all-time record in the German top-flight, eclipsing the 35-game away drought posted by Karlsruher between 1976-1981!
Players to watch: Frankfurt’s Daichi Kamada perhaps ruffled a few German feathers when his native Japan knocked Germany out of the World Cup, yet the locals will surely cheer his name if he is to build on his 12 competitive club goals this season. He may have to battle for the limelight against Schalke’s Simon Terodde, who boasts a career-best four goal contributions in as many games against the Eagles (G3, A1).
Hot stat: Only three sides have scored in both halves more often in the Bundesliga than Frankfurt’s six games this season (40%).
