Eintracht Frankfurt vs Atalanta

Eintracht Frankfurt face a second straight Italian opponent in the UCL as they welcome Atalanta, following a hard-earned 0-0 draw against Napoli on Matchday four. That stalemate halted a two-game losing run in the competition [LL] but did little to help their qualification hopes, leaving them 23rd in the standings with four points [1W, 1D, 2L] going into this round. Domestically, however, the Eagles are in far better shape. Their thrilling 4-3 victory over Cologne at the weekend extended their unbeaten streak in Bundesliga to five matches [DWDWW], keeping them firmly in the race for European qualification. Yet, the spark they’ve displayed in Germany hasn’t translated to Europe, where they remain winless in three UCL outings [LLD]. Entertainment hasn’t been lacking at Deutsche Bank Park, though—both of their home fixtures so far have ended in emphatic 5-1 scorelines [1W, 1L]. This clash marks the first UEFA meeting between Frankfurt and Atalanta. Worryingly for the Germans, recent history against Italian opponents doesn’t inspire confidence—they are winless in their last four European games against Serie A sides, failing to score in each of those contests [0W, 1D, 3L]. The Eagles also remain depleted: Jessic Ngankam is ineligible, while Oscar Højlund, Hugo Larsson and Can Uzun continue rehabilitation from muscle problems. Dino Toppmöller is expected to stick with his trusted 3—5—2 formation, with Jonathan Burkardt and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya leading the line.

Atalanta arrive in Germany seeking stability after a difficult domestic run. A 3-1 defeat to Napoli over the weekend extended their winless league streak to eight [0W, 5D, 3L], marking a difficult debut for new coach Raffaele Palladino after Ivan Jurić’s dismissal. Their UCL form, however, tells a different story. Sitting in 16th place on seven points [2W, 1D, 1L], La Dea boosted their chances with a crucial 1-0 win over Marseille on Matchday four. The Italian side’s away record this season has been inconsistent—just two wins from eight competitive trips [2W, 3D, 3L]—but recent continental history is encouraging. They have lost only one of their last ten UEFA league-phase away matches [6W, 3D, 1L] and have kept eight clean sheets in their last 13. La Dea travel without Giorgio Scalvini and Mitchel Bakker due to injury. A 3—4—3 formation featuring Charles De Ketelaere, Nikola Krstović and Ademola Lookman in the attack is expected.