Olympique Lyonnais has had a solid performance in the Europa League, overcoming financial challenges. The French club has secured three wins in their first five matches, with notable victories over Olympiakos, Rangers, and Qarabag.
Lyon is currently in 7th place in the standings. While they experienced a narrow 0-1 defeat against Besiktas and a 2-2 draw with Hoffenheim, their goal remains to finish in the top eight, which would give them automatic qualification to the round of 16.
Domestically, Lyon has bounced back from a slow start and has remained unbeaten since late September, recently defeating OGC Nice 4-1. They will look to continue their good form against Angers this weekend, though a tough challenge awaits them on Thursday.
Eintracht Frankfurt is also performing well in the Europa League, sitting in third place with 13 points from 15. After a 3-3 draw with Viktoria Plzen in their opening match, they won all of their subsequent fixtures, including victories against Besiktas, Rigas FC, Slavia Prague, and Midtjylland.
In the Bundesliga, they are second behind Bayern Munich and will aim to extend their winning streak with a victory over Augsburg this weekend. Eintracht’s attacking lineup, led by Egyptian forward Marmoush and former Paris Saint-Germain player Hugo Ekitike, has been a key factor in their strong performances this season.
Lyon will feature several key players, including Benrahma, Mikautadze, Lacazette, Tolisso, and Cherki. However, they will be without former goalkeeper Lopes, who has been excluded from the squad. Eintracht Frankfurt, on the other hand, will have nearly a full-strength squad, with backup striker Amenda possibly the only player missing.
Prediction
Both teams have been consistent in matches with three or fewer goals. Lyon has had 17 such games in their last 19, while Eintracht Frankfurt has seen 17 of their last 21 Europa League matches end in the same manner. Therefore, a 1-1 draw is a likely outcome in this highly competitive match.
