Verdict: Borussia Dortmund win and both teams to score
Best Odds: 15/8
Bookmaker: Bet365
Desperate to restart the Bundesliga season with a win on Friday, Lucien Favre’s Borussia Dortmund side will be hoping to remain unbeaten when they welcome Eintracht Frankfurt to the Westfalenstadion.
Borussia Dortmund
Starting with the hosts, while BVB did manage to secure Champions League football last season, Dortmund will be hoping Lucien Favre can help close the gap on Bundesliga kings Bayern Munich. Coming off the back of a 0-0 draw with Hannover before the international break, The Yellow and Blacks are still boosted by their very impressive 4-1 win against RB Leipzig on the opening weekend. With last years top scorers Michy Batshuayi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving Dortmund, the hosts will be hoping that new summer recruit Alcacer joining from Barcelona, Favre will be hoping the Spanish international can hit the ground running. Dortmund will also be boosted by their recent record against Frankfurt. In fact, Dortmund have not lost any of their last seven meetings at the Westfalenstadion, a run that stems back to 2010.
Team News
Dortmund will be with both defenders Raphaël Guerreiro and Ömer Toprak on Friday. Portuguese international Guerreiro miss his nations 1-0 win over Italy on Monday night with an unspecified muscle injury.
As for Toprak, the Turkish defender will be sidelined for Frankfurt’s visit with a thigh injury.
However, Barcelona loanee Alcacer is expected to make his full debut alongside Marco Reus and Christian Pulisic.
Eintracht Frankfurt
As for the visitors, much like their hosts, Eintracht Frankfurt also saw a change in their dugout over the summer, bringing in Adi Hutter, the former BS Young Boys coach has a mini defensive crisis on his hands. Coming off the back of a very disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Werder Breman, including a lackluster pre-season, the visitors have now lost five of their last six in all competitions. While Frankfurt did secure an eigth place finish in the Bundesliga last season, they did struggle at the back end of last year and their issues appear to have been dragged over. Eintracht, have now managed to pick up just two of their last eight matches in the German top-tier. A side that is low on confidence ahead of their trip to rural Germany, the visitors know that they are in a race against time to get key man and World Cup finalist Ante Rebic who has been suffering with a groin injury.
Team News
Adi Hutter will be without a handful of first team players before his trip to rural Germany. Former PSV winger Jetro Willems is suspended, while defender 28-year-old Timothy Chandler has a knee injury.
Frankfurt will also be without Mexican international defender Carlos Salcedo who has picked up an ankle injury.
Key Factors to Consider
- Dortmund are unbeaten in their last 24 home games played on a Friday night (17 wins, seven draws).
- However, Frankfurt are likewise unbeaten in their last 11 outings on Friday evenings (four wins, seven draws).
- Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp has never managed to beat Dortmund in seven attempts so far (two draws, five defeats).
- So far this season Dortmund have needed an average of six shots per goal.
- Frankfurt have, however, found the net against Dortmund in the last five meetings between the two sides.
Conclusion
Although their inconsistency was often questioned last season, there is no doubt that BVB remain one of the most exciting sides to watch in the Bundesliga. Given The Yellow and Blacks stellar record when playing on Friday night, we believe that Dortmund will have enough firepower to continue their unbeaten run on Friday night. However, with Frankfurt finding the net in their last five meetings between the two sides, we’re backing the visitors to at least find the net. Backing a Dortmund win and both teams to score seems like the smartest bet here.
Verdict: Borussia Dortmund win and both teams to score
Best Odds: 15/8
Bookmaker: Bet365
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