Preview:Eintracht Frankfurt vs Galatasaray - prediction, team news, lineups

Making a rare appearance in Europe's top tournament, Eintracht Frankfurt will commence just their second Champions League campaign on Thursday, when Turkish giants Galatasaray visit pay a visit to Deutsche Bank Park.

While Frankfurt finished third in the Bundesliga last season, Gala lost just once en route to the Super Lig title - now they meet on matchday one of the league phase.

Match preview

Building on a solid sixth-placed finish a year earlier, Dino Toppmoller led Frankfurt to a place on the podium last term, as well as going deep in the Europa League.

Die Adler were only beaten by eventual champions Tottenham Hotspur in the latter competition's quarter-finals, and they will now get a crack at Europe's elite.

Making their return to the Champions League, Eintracht reached the last 16 three years ago, on their first appearance at the top level since losing 7-3 to Real Madrid in a classic 1960 final.

So far this season, Toppmoller's men followed a 5-0 first-round win in the DFB-Pokal with back-to-back victories in the Bundesliga, but they came unstuck against Bayer Leverkusen last weekend.

Despite playing with an extra man for the final half-hour, Frankfurt suffered a chastening 3-1 defeat to one of their likely rivals for a top-four finish.

Nonetheless, the 2022 Europa League winners can now return to home turf, where they have lost just two of their last 13 continental group or league fixtures.

Furthermore, Frankfurt's sole loss in eight meetings with Turkish teams came way back in 1992 - albeit it was against Galatasaray in the UEFA Cup.

A UEFA Cup and Super Cup winner with Gala in 2000, current coach Okan Buruk has more recently led them to three consecutive Turkish titles.

Their last Champions League experience was a group-stage exit two years ago, and the Istanbul club progressed through the Europa League's first phase in 2024-25 before going out in the knockout playoffs.

Chased all the way by bitter rivals Fenerbahce, the Yellow-Reds were dominant on the domestic scene: losing just once in 36 matches as they claimed a 25th Super Lig title, they also lifted the Turkish Super Cup.

This season, Buruk's side could hardly have made a better start, winning all five fixtures while averaging three goals per game - on Saturday, they beat Eyupspor 2-0.

However, Galatasaray often struggle to convert such form into results on the continental front, having won just one of their last 17 Champions League group matches and lost 11.

Also without a win from their last nine European away games, it is no wonder Gala last reached the Champions League's knockout rounds in 2014 - they have fallen at the group stage five times since.

Eintracht Frankfurt form (all competitions):

W W W L

Galatasaray form (all competitions):

W W W W W

Team News

While Frankfurt hope Hugo Larsson can return from an illness by Thursday evening, Rasmus Kristensen has been ruled out after suffering a thigh injury at the weekend.

Another likely absentee is World Cup winner Mario Gotze, who has previously made 69 Champions League appearances and registered 31 goal involvements.

Up front, Jonathan Burkardt is still waiting for his first goal since signing from Mainz, so Michy Batshuayi and Elye Wahi will both be pushing to replace him.

Supporting the hosts' lone striker should be a trio comprising Jean-Matteo Bahoya, Ritsu Doan and Germany-born Turkey international Can Uzun.

Meanwhile, Galatasaray's main man is captain Mauro Icardi, with three goals to his name this season; big-money buy Victor Osimhen will miss out with a sprained ankle.

New goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir - who arrived late in the transfer window from Trabzonspor - made his debut on Saturday and will start between the posts.

Former Bundesliga players Leroy Sane, Ilkay Gundogan, Kaan Ayhan and Roland Sallai will line up against some familiar faces.

Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:

Zetterer; Brown, Collins, Koch, Theate; Hojlund, Chaibi; Doan, Uzun, Bahoya; Burkardt

Galatasaray possible starting lineup:

Cakir; Sallai, Sanchez, Bardakci, Elmali; Torreira, Sara; Akgun, Gundogan, Sane; Icardi