Preview: First-ever meeting with Helsinki

Eintracht will face HJK Helsinki for the first time when they welcome the Finnish side to Stadion Frankfurt in their third UEFA Europa Conference League group match on Thursday 26 October.

Title celebrations in Helsinki

HJK are a well-established club who clinched their fourth league title in a row at the weekend, but occupy third place in Group G with one point from their opening two games, having lost at home to PAOK and drawn 1-1 at Aberdeen. The Eagles sit one place above their opponents after beating the Scottish side 2-1 at home and losing by the same scoreline in Greece.

Grahl to replace Trapp

With Kevin Trapp suspended for Thursday’s game, 35-year-old keeper Jens Grahl is set to be handed his European debut against the Finnish champions. “I’m obviously looking forward to it – it’s going to be an incredible evening,” he said. “We’ve grown in confidence, as have I on a personal level. I’m absolutely certain we’ll put in a good performance.”

Eintracht on upward trajectory

Dino Toppmöller’s side have won back-to-back games in the Bundesliga, beating 1. FC Heidenheim 2-0 at home before Saturday’s impressive 3-1 triumph at 1899 Hoffenheim. “We’ve taken another step in the right direction,” board member for sport Markus Krösche said after the victory in Sinsheim, with Toppmöller adding: “the wins against Heidenheim and Hoffenheim, not to mention the good performance in Thessaloniki, have done us a huge amount of good. Now we want to keep the momentum going.”