Eintracht Frankfurt vs Galatasaray

Eintracht Frankfurt will kick off their second UCL campaign, aiming to make a statement against Galatasaray. Dino Toppmöller’s men saw their unbeaten start to 2025/26 halted by a 3-1 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen on Friday, but they had won their three previous fixtures while scoring 12 goals. That attacking potency mirrors last season, when only three Bundesliga sides outscored them, and Frankfurt will hope to translate that form onto the continental stage. The Eagles boast a strong European record at home, having scored in ten successive continental matches prior to their Europa League quarter-final defeat to Tottenham in April. Their history against Turkish clubs is also encouraging, with just one loss in eight such fixtures [3W, 4D, 1L], though tellingly, that sole defeat came against Galatasaray in November 1992. SGE have also proven tough to beat in front of their own fans in UEFA competition, losing only two of their last 13 group or league fixtures at home [7W, 4D, 2L]. A muscle injury keeps Mario Götze and Hugo Larsson doubtful, but Toppmöller’s side will still expect to impose themselves at Deutsche Bank Park. Jonathan Burkardt may lead the line in a 4—5—1 formation.

Galatasaray arrive in Frankfurt in contrasting form, boasting a 16-match winning streak in all competitions after Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Eyüpspor preserved their 100% Süper Lig start and cemented their spot at the summit. Yet their domestic dominance has not carried into Europe, where their struggles on the road remain glaring. They last kept an away clean sheet in continental football against Olimpija Ljubljana in the 2023 UCL qualifiers – 12 games ago – and failed to win any of their six European away trips last season [3D, 3L]. Their broader UCL record underlines those concerns, with just three wins across their last 32 matches in the competition [1W, 9D, 20L], and only two victories in 12 attempts against German clubs – the most recent a 3-2 success against Schalke in March 2013. Defensive frailties aside, Okan Buruk’s men have carried plenty of firepower into this campaign, scoring at least twice in each of their five matches so far. Barış Yılmaz has been particularly decisive, with all three of his goals either opening or closing the scoring. If Victor Osimhen shakes off a concerning ankle injury, the Lions should have a clean bill of health for a tie that pits their free-scoring frontline against Frankfurt’s formidable home record. Mauro Icardi may appear at the end of the club’s 4—2—3—1 formation.