BERLIN: Despite their best Bundesliga season in decades, Eintracht Frankfurt know only something close to a perfect performance will help topple league leaders Bayern Munich on Sunday.
With 22 of 34 games played this Bundesliga campaign, Frankfurt sit third and are on track for their first top-four finish since the 1992-93 season.
Frankfurt’s 2022 Europa League win meant a first-ever Champions League participation.
Another crack at the European elite from finishing in the top four this season would be a just reward for Dino Toppmoeller’s impressive side, who have rebounded despite the loss of Omar Marmoush to Manchester City.
Up next is a trip to Bayern, who are eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen and on track to win back the Bundesliga title.
Frankfurt will be the underdogs on Sunday but have recent form against the German giants.
Frankfurt held Bayern to a 3-3 draw in October, making them one of only four teams alongside Leverkusen, Mainz and Borussia Dortmund who have taken points off the league leaders this season.
Bayern may have won only one of their past four against Frankfurt, but Eagles captain Kevin Trapp was not getting ahead of himself on Thursday.
“We are third and Bayern are 13 points ahead of us, that speaks volumes.
Trapp said the visitors “must get close to perfection in order to get a point or better there.”
Bayern may be sailing in the league but they come into Sunday’s game after two straight draws and Trapp said the hosts will fight hard “so that a crisis isn’t declared in Munich.”
Bayern look set to be without star striker Harry Kane, who was subbed off at half-time in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Celtic.
Frankfurt have their own injury woes, with German defender Robin Koch out and midfielder Mario Goetze in doubt with illness.
Toppmoeller said Friday his side needs “a good plan, a top performance and a bit of luck,” along with cool heads, with the coach calling on his charges to exhibit “a high tolerance for frustration.”
Elsewhere, Leverkusen travel to last-placed Holstein Kiel hoping to keep their slim hopes of defending their title alive.
Coach Xabi Alonso he knew the odds of overtaking Bayern, who they will meet in the Champions League last 16 after Friday’s draw, were slim, but stranger things had happened in football.
“We’re not looking so far (into the future)... Everything can happen. There are still many games. There’s time for anything.”
After establishing himself alongside striker Serhou Guirassy as Dortmund’s attacking threats early this season, English winger Jamie Gittens has hit a lull in form.
The 20-year-old has not scored for nine games dating back to mid-January.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovac urged patience with the young winger, telling reporters “Jamie has developed really well, he’s playing intensively and we need to find a balance.
“I’m very happy with Jamie, but you understand there can also be a bit of a dip now and again.”
Joshua Kimmich has played every minute of Bayern Munich’s 22 league games this season — a total of 1,980 minutes plus stoppage time in each match — the only player from the league leaders to do so.
Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike has 12 goals in 21 league games this season.
Borussia Dortmund have faced Union Berlin 13 times in all competitions but have never had a draw, winning nine and losing four.
Buoyant Frankfurt aim for ‘perfection’ against league leaders Bayern
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Buoyant Frankfurt aim for ‘perfection’ against league leaders Bayern
- With 22 of 34 games played this Bundesliga campaign, Frankfurt sit third and are on track for their first top-four finish since the 1992-93 season
- Another crack at the European elite from finishing in the top four this season would be a just reward for Dino Toppmoeller’s impressive side
Saudi rising star Malik Basahel targets statement win at PFL MENA Finals
AL-KHOBAR: Saudi flyweight prospect Malik Basahel faces a pivotal test in his young professional career when he takes on Egypt’s Mahmoud Atef at the PFL MENA Finals: All or Nothing later on Friday at the Dhahran Expo in Al-Khobar.
Building on strong performances across the PFL and IMMAF circuits, Basahel sees the bout as a natural next step in a progression he has been planning for years. Confident but composed, he views the contest as another opportunity to underline what his record already suggests.
“I feel good. Obviously, it’s my sixth time fighting for the PFL. It’s my third pro fight this year,” Basahel said.
“For me, it’s just another fight, another opportunity to showcase what I’ve learned in the gym, to show my skills, and to get that win. I’m just focused on my next fight. I’ve got a good feeling about it.”
That calm approach is rooted in experience. From a decorated amateur career to an unbeaten start as a professional, Basahel has shown an ability to perform under pressure, with each outing reflecting steady development.
His run in the PFL has already exposed him to a variety of opponents and styles, providing valuable cage time.
Standing opposite him, Atef brings a 5-3 record and a reputation for pushing the pace. Basahel is ready for the challenge.
“He brings the fight, so I can bring the fight as well,” Basahel said. “I’m locked in on this one, and whatever happens after, happens.”
While acknowledging the higher stakes that come with competing on the PFL platform, the Saudi is clear about what keeps him grounded.
“The level of competition is higher than the regional shows, and obviously the media and everything around it plays a part,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it’s only a cage, the same rules, the same fight. I just try to put the work in, show what I can do, and have some fun with it. I always try to learn, always try to improve. I just know I’m going to get this win.”
For Basahel, the matchup with Atef represents a chance to reinforce his status as one of the region’s most promising flyweights and to deliver the statement performance he believes will carry him toward the upper tiers of the sport.
