There may not have been any matches last weekend, but Eintracht still had reason to celebrate. With Dortmund and Leipzig going through to the DFB Cup final, the Eagles have direct qualification for the UEFA Europa League already in the bag with three matchdays to go. Not that anyone in Frankfurt is settling for that, as all eyes are now on realising the UEFA Champions League dream.
On Sunday, Eintracht – who are third in the imaginary table for the second half of the campaign with 29 points – play host to 1. FSV Mainz 05, who themselves have the fifth-best haul over that period (28 points). Evan Ndicka will have to sit the match out having picked up a tenth yellow card, but Sebastian Rode will be back after his own ban.
Home advantage at Deutsche Bank Park
The teams have met 25 times in the Bundesliga, with the Eagles winning seven, as opposed to nine wins for Mainz and as many draws between the two teams. SGE’s 2-0 win in the fixture earlier this season was their first against the Zerofivers since December 2018.
Along with Bayern, SGE are the only teams still unbeaten at home this season, having racked up nine wins and six draws in 15 matches at Deutsche Bank Park. They have also scored 62 goals so far this term overall, putting them third in the league in that particular category.
Danny da Costa and Dominik Kohr are currently on loan from Eintracht to FSV, with sporting director Bruno Hübner praising them last week, saying: “Both players are doing very well for themselves at Mainz and have played a significant part in the team’s success in the second half of the season.”
Kick-off: Sunday 9 May 2021 15:30 CEST, Matchday 32.
Stadium: OPEL ARENA, Mainz.
