In the words of Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders, “there is no rest for me in this world”, and neither is there any for Borussia Dortmund at the moment. After the stoppage-time thriller from Saturday against
Cologne, die Schwarzgelben have been handed another difficult task on the road. The second round of the DFB Pokal brings with it Eintracht Frankfurt, a team with a mixed bag of results over the past few weeks.
As we’ve recently concluded, this Dortmund team is very complicated to beat, even when they’re not at their best. One of the main reasons for this is their bench. They’re now at a point where they can not only bring on extra quality in the second half, but extra fitness as well. Names such as Chukwuemeka, Silva, and Brandt are finally fully healthy and have all contributed to goals after they’ve come on. Maxi Beier is only the most recent example of how noxious the black and yellow substitutions can be. They’ll need that same sort of boost in the Waldstadion, having not won there since October 29th, 2022.
Although the SGE has proven to be a high-powered offense, they’ve simultaneously been leaking goals at the back. No matter where they play, no matter who their keeper is (Michael Zetterer now being the #1 option over Kaua Santos), the Eagles just haven’t been able to turn off the tap. In the Bundesliga, they have averaged 2.62 goals scored and 2.25 conceded per match. Moreover, a goal difference of 21:18 comes as no surprise. It also helps with understanding the 5:1 beatdowns that Atletico and Liverpool gave them. When Dino Topmüller’s team attempts to go blow-for-blow with a side that is just as technically gifted as them, it often hasn’t ended well.
Player to Watch: Can Uzun
Frankfurt have a multitude of great players available to them, even after the sales of Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ekitike. I’ve decided to highlight Nürnberg-made, Turkish international Can Uzun. Once upon a time, linked with a move to Dortmund, the 19-year-old started the Bundesliga season hot, scoring five and assisting three in eight starts. The free-spirited play of him and Ritsu Doan has made Frankfurt the second-best attacking unit in the league.
*Note: Ansgar Knauff, Nnamdi Collins, Mahmoud Dahoud, Mario Götze, and Michy Batshuayi won’t be lacking motivation either. Just going out on a limb…
Predicted Lineup
The games are coming thick and fast, making rotation once again necessary. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: Serhou Guirassy looks in dire need of a break. He hasn’t scored in his last four matches, which can happen in the life of a striker, but I haven’t been a fan of his overall body language and energy in general. Fabio Silva continues to push for more minutes, and sooner or later, he’ll have to start. I’d also look at Couto, Jobe, Sabi, and Beier to keep the starting group fresh.
Match Prediction
It goes without saying, Kovac and his men want to book another trip to Berlin this season, especially with Dortmund having failed to make it further than the round of 16 since the 2022/23 campaign. What gives me pause for tomorrow: our opponent is a loose cannon. I can see this game going many different ways (none of which hopefully include an extra half hour; this team will have enough miles on it as is).
I feel pretty good about a 3:2 BVB win.
