Eintracht Frankfurt will likely be eager to give their best performance in this competition, especially in front of their home fans.
Despite starting the Bundesliga season with a 2-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park, Frankfurt bounced back quickly, securing a 3-1 victory over Hoffenheim and a 2-1 win on the road against Wolfsburg.
Last weekend, Hugo Ekitike and his teammates aimed to achieve their third consecutive league win as they prepared to face Borussia Mönchengladbach. Meanwhile, Viktoria Plzen should not be underestimated.
Although less well-known, the Czech team has been in great form, remaining unbeaten since May 22, when they lost the MOL Cup final to Sparta Prague. Since then, Plzen has played 11 matches, winning eight and drawing three. During the qualification stages, they knocked out Kryvbas of Ukraine (1-2 in the first leg, 1-0 in the return) and Scotland’s Hearts (2-0 in both legs).
However, Frankfurt will be without midfielder Oscar Hojlund, who joined from Copenhagen in the summer but is sidelined with an injury for this European fixture. Other notable absences include Hungarian star Lisztes (who scored eight goals for Ferencvaros last season), as well as midfielders Loune and Wenig, who have been out since January.
On a brighter note, Frankfurt can rely on players like Hugo Ekitike (1 goal and 2 assists in the Bundesliga), World Cup winner Mario Götze, Marmoush (3 goals and 1 assist this season), and Belgian international Theate (formerly of Rennes). However, players such as Souaré, Durosimni, Baier, Sykoro, and new arrival Kabongo are doubtful or unlikely to feature.
For Plzen, key players include Czech international Sulc (3 goals and 1 assist in the league), Jirka (2 goals in the league), and midfielder Cadu (1 goal and 2 assists), all of whom are expected to play.
Prediction
Eintracht Frankfurt has struggled in recent Europa League home games, with the team suffering 14 defeats in the competition. This presents an opportunity for Plzen, who have won four of their last five away games at this level.
Prediction: Eintracht Frankfurt 1 : 3 Plzen
