Preview: Eintracht Frankfurt vs FC Koln - prediction, team news, lineups

Eintracht Frankfurt's disastrous start to the Bundesliga season must come to an end when they welcome FC Koln to Deutsche Bank Park on Friday.

The hosts sit 14th with just five points after five matchweeks, whereas the Billy Goats are two points ahead of them in 10th following their 2-1 success against Borussia Monchengladbach on October 11.

Match preview

Frankfurt come into Friday's clash on the back of damaging 6-0 defeat against RB Leipzig on October 10.

The hosts finished third in 2023-24, but they have long since fallen away from Champions League contention, with the club now arguably in a battle to avoid relegation.

While the season is still only in its infancy, the Eagles have won just six of their last 28 Bundesliga games, losing 11 times and drawing on 11 occasions.

Their points per game average of 1.04 in that stretch would result in roughly 35 points over the course of a full league season, and that total would only have kept them out of the bottom three in 2025-26 by six points.

Boss Adi Hutter will be alarmed that his team have already conceded 16 goals in their five top-flight outings this campaign, and though nine goals scored is respectable, eight clubs have netted more than them in the league.

Frankfurt's performances at home have not been strong this term given they have lost once and drawn once, while they are winless in their six most recent fixtures at Deutsche Bank Park.

Koln's campaign has matched their start to 2025-26 in terms of points (seven), but they have conceded one fewer in the Bundesliga (nine).

Their triumph against Gladbach was well deserved, especially as they restricted their opponents to low-quality shots in the second half, while also applying considerable pressure themselves.

The Billy Goats will hope to avoid extending their winless streak against their hosts to three games, with Frankfurt drawing 2-2 with them in the corresponding fixture in 2025-26 and winning 4-3 at RheinEnergieSTADION in November 2025.

A victory for coach Rene Wagner would represent his side's fourth success in eight matches this term, and the manager will be desperate for his players to keep a first clean sheet in 21 clashes.

Koln have lost both of their two away contests in the Bundesliga so far, and they also failed to win their final 13 league games of last season.

Eintracht Frankfurt Bundesliga form:

Eintracht Frankfurt form (all competitions):

FC Koln Bundesliga form:

FC Koln form (all competitions):

Team News

Frankfurt defender Jessic Ngankam (hamstring) has been ruled out, while forward Malik Pimpong is a serious doubt.

In the forward line, Jonathan Burkardt is a certain inclusion, and the striker may be joined by Younes Ebnoutalib.

The hosts will likely look to field Robin Koch and Lilian Brassier as centre-backs, though the duo will be under pressure to perform better in defence.

Koln's injury situation is much more severe than their hosts' given five key players will not make the XI, including defenders Timo Hubers and Rav van den Berg, so expect to see Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Luka Lochoshvili stationed in front of goalkeeper Marvin Schwabe.

The absence of striker Ragnar Ache is set to lead to the selection of Said El Mala up front, and the attacker could be supported by Linton Maina and Marius Bulter.

Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:

Atubolu; Collins, Koch, Brassier, Kosugi; Doan, Gotze, Onyedika, Uzun; Burkardt, Ebnoutalib

FC Koln possible starting lineup:

Schwabe; Sebulonsen, Simpson-Pusey, Lochoshvili, Sosa; Johannesson, Krauss; Maina, Moore, Bulter; El Mala