Bayer Leverkusen deepened Eintracht Frankfurt’s struggles with a 3-1 Bundesliga victory at Deutsche BankPark on Saturday. The defeat left Frankfurt without a league win in six matches, and the match finished with Frankfurt reduced to 10 players. This setback came only days after Frankfurt’s Champions League exit, adding further pressure on the squad and club leadership.
The meeting also highlighted the challenge awaiting new coach Albert Riera, who was confirmed on Friday. Dennis Schmitt and Alexander Meier still directed the team from the touchline against Leverkusen. Frankfurt’s loss marked a seventh consecutive Bundesliga defeat to Leverkusen, their worst ongoing sequence against any current top-flight opponent.
Frankfurt began with intent
and felt aggrieved inside five minutes. The hosts appealed for a penalty when Robert Andrich challenged Arnaud Kalimuendo in the area. Referee Robert Schroder initially allowed play to continue, then reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor, but still refused to award a spot-kick.
Leverkusen grew stronger after that moment and struck first on 26 minutes. Arthur moved forward from defence and steered Alejandro Grimaldo’s clever backheel past Kaua Santos. Before half-time, Malik Tillman doubled the advantage, guiding a calm finish into the bottom-right corner from just inside the penalty area.
Frankfurt responded almost immediately after the interval. Within five minutes of the restart, Robin Koch saw a volley blocked by Janis Blaswich, then reacted quickest to drive the rebound beyond the goalkeeper. The momentum swung again on the hour when Ellyes Skhiri received two yellow cards in the space of two minutes and was dismissed.
Despite playing with 10, Frankfurt still created opportunities late on. Substitute Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab forced a firm stop from Blaswich, who kept Leverkusen in control. Defender Aurele Amenda then met a cross but glanced a header wide of the far post, missing a good chance to level.
Leverkusen punished those misses in stoppage time after pressing high up the pitch. Arthur Theate was dispossessed near the halfway line, and Leverkusen broke quickly. Aleix Garcia arrived to finish confidently, placing the ball past Santos to seal the 3-1 scoreline and confirm all three points for the visitors.
3 Goals. 3 Points. LEV! 90+5' | 1-3 | #SGEB04 pic.twitter.com/28WjsHNvxTBayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) January 31, 2026
The result extended Frankfurt’s current Bundesliga winless run to six matches. That sequence is their poorest league stretch since the 2022-23 campaign, when they failed to win across 10 consecutive fixtures. The continuing difficulties against Leverkusen underline the scale of the problem awaiting Riera as Frankfurt attempt to stabilise.
Key data from the Bayer Leverkusen vs Eintracht Frankfurt Bundesliga match and recent runs are shown below.
The match in Frankfurt underlined two contrasting trends. Leverkusen showed clinical finishing and control at key moments, responding well after early pressure. Frankfurt, by contrast, combined periods of energy with defensive lapses, missed chances and disciplinary issues. Riera inherits a squad low on league confidence and facing important decisions as the season continues.
