Eintracht Frankfurt will take on FC Barcelona in the quarter-final of the UEFA Europa League. The German challengers have tied their last three matches, while the Spanish giants are on a 13-match unbeaten streak and have not been defeated in the competition yet. Let’s check this Frankfurt vs Barcelona Betting Analysis.
Recent form
Eintracht Frankfurt has only gone 10-9-9 domestically in the Bundesliga this season; they have also narrowly secured wins in the Europa League, most recently eliminating Real Betis 3-2 on aggregate with a draw in the second leg.
Barcelona has been a much different team under newly-appointed boss and club legend Xavi, who has the team applying more pressure in the final third and creating better build-up play before launching attacks. They have won four games in a row and are finally rounding into the form many expected from them when the season first began.
Match information
The game between Eintracht Frankfurt and Barcelona will kick off inside Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany, at 3:00 p.m. ET Thursday.
Frankfurt vs Barcelona Betting Analysis
Eintracht Frankfurt has produced a mixed bag of results this season— they have mostly been underdogs against the traditional top-tier opponents, both domestically and in European competitions. This is despite the club being one of the most popular Europa League picks early in the campaign because of their ability to nick wins against powerful opponents.
Barcelona, too was a favorite in the Europa League betting odds before their disastrous start to the Spanish league sent them falling; now, because of the changes they made in management and a renewed spirit amongst the players, they once again look to be the top choice to win it all.
Updates
Goalkeeper Diant Ramaj and left-back Christopher Lenz will miss the match with injuries, although that will not drastically impact the first-team starting choices. Kevin Trapp will likely hold down his spot between the posts, and Filip Kostic will operate off the left-hand side.
Samuel Umtiti, Sergino Dest, Luuk de Jong, and Nico Gonzalez are expected to miss the match against Frankfurt, the first two with injury and the second two with illness. Of the bunch, de Jong’s absence will be felt the most, though the team is not as totally reliant on him as they were earlier in the campaign.
Frankfurt vs Barcelona Betting Preview
Most sportsbooks have Barcelona as a heavy favorite heading into the first leg against the German representatives. This will be the first time that the two teams have met in an organized competition; Frankfurt’s first encounter with a Spanish side did not end favorably in what ultimately was a 7-3 loss to Real Madrid in the 1960 European Cup final in Glasgow, Scotland.
Barcelona has also been the more consistent team in the competition and has a long history of European battles, which Xavi will be plenty aware of. His experience in these situations should help translate to how he sets up his team on Thursday.
Frankfurt vs Barcelona Betting Prediction
Frankfurt is likely going to come out with a 3-5-2, their preferred formation; this will be a nice contrast to Barcelona’s usual 4-3-3 and should make for an open, end-to-end match.
The German club will be well aware that this match is on their home field, and because of the absence of away goal rules, they will need to attack from the opening kick. They do not have anyone known as a prolific goalscorer in their squad, but they do have players willing to drive at opponents and create chances, which they will need to do.
Barcelona has conceded one goal in its last five matches compared to 11 goals scored as attackers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Ousmane Dembele have found their footing and been banging in goals for fun. Their speed will be a real worry for Frankfurt’s defensive line, although they will have three central defenders available to provide cover.
According to most sports betting guides, all indications point to Barcelona coming away with some sort of result in Germany, whether that be a tie or a win, although you cannot discount Frankfurt’s ability to steal points.
How to bet on Frankfurt vs Barcelona
Eintracht Frankfurt is listed as a +390 favorite at home; there are +310 odds on a draw and -150 odds on a Barcelona win.
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