Eintracht Frankfurt have conjured up some magnificent European magic in recent years and will aim for another special night in Barcelona, with vital UEFA Champions League points at stake for both sides on Tuesday (kick-off: 9pm CET).
Follow Barcelona vs. Frankfurt HERE!
Dino Toppmöller's side travel to the Catalan giants having to bounce back from their biggest defeat of the season, a 6-0 humbling by RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Worryingly, the defensive issues that Frankfurt had appeared to have put behind them resurfaced in Leipzig, but the Eagles can gain hope from the fact that some of their best performances of the campaign so far have come in the UEFA Champions League. A masterclass at the back in a 0-0 draw in Napoli on Matchday 4 should provide a template as they aim to stun Barcelona.
Watch: U-zun bet he Can!
A solace from the defeat in Leipzig was the return of key midfield pair Can Uzun and Hugo Larsson to the squad after injury, and while Uzun remained on the bench, that could have been with a return in Barcelona in mind. A calf injury is certain to keep Jonathan Burkardt, the Eagles' top scorer in the Bundesliga and Champions League, out.
Barcelona have collected seven points in the league phase so far - just three more than Frankfurt - and are under pressure to gain a result. Former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski has not yet netted in Europe this season, while his old boss in Munich, Hansi Flick, has former Leipzig star Dani Olmo on the injury list.
Watch: All 312 of Lewandowski's Bundesliga goals
Match stats
- Frankfurt beat Barcelona 3-2 in Spain the last time these teams met, in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final in 2021/22, en route to winning the title.
- Ansgar Knauff and Timothy Chandler are the only players still in the Frankfurt squad from those games.
- Eintracht reached the last 16 in their previous Champions League campaign in 2022/23.
- Since beating Galatasaray 5-1 on Matchday 1, the Eagles have registered three defeats and a draw in the Champions League.
- Barcelona's Lewandowski (Bayern), Marc-André ter-Stegen, Andreas Christensen (both Borussia Mönchengladbach), Olmo (Leipzig) and coach Flick (Bayern) have all spent time in the Bundesliga.
Probable teams
Barcelona: García – Koundé, Cubarsi, Martín, Baldé – García, Pedri – Yamal, Raphinha (c), Torres – Lewandowski
Out: Araújo (suspended), Gavi (knee), Olmo (shoulder)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Hansi Flick
Frankfurt: Zetterer – Kristensen, Koch (c), Theate, Brown – Dahoud, Chaïbi – Dōan, Götze, Bahoya – Knauff
Out: Batshuayi (foot), Burkardt (calf), Ngankam (not included)
Doubtful: Chandler (knock)
Coach: Dino Toppmöller
LIVE blog!
![]()
Injury news
Toppmöller also shed light on the injury situation at Frankfurt, especially after Batshuayi had to be withdrawn at half-time in the defeat to Leipzig. The club has since confirmed the Belgian striker suffered a midfoot fracture and has undergone surgery but will be sidelined with no timeline provided for a potential return. Toppmöller had this to say: “Michy Batshuayi will be out, just like Jonny Burkardt and Timothy Chandler, who got injured in training yesterday. Apart from that, we have everyone on board.”
© Maja Hitij
![]()
Toppmöller earmarks Yamal
The Frankfurt boss was full of praise for Barcelona's star youngster, highlighting in his press conference: “Lamine Yamal embodies world-class quality in all the positions he plays. He has spent a lot of time on the wing recently, but he can also play centrally. Ultimately, we have to defend against him as a collective.”
© IMAGO/Joris Verwijst
![]()
Mario Götze on the task ahead
"Every player at Eintracht Frankfurt knows what's at stake. We know what we've already achieved in this season and we must remind ourselves of that. In the Champions League, small details make the difference. We need to defend well and keep being dangerous up front time and again. It's about pushing our performance to the limit."
© Imago
![]()
Dino Toppmöller on facing Barcelona
"Barcelona thrilled all of Europe last season alongside Paris [Saint Germain], and right now they're top of the table in Spain. An attacking force is coming our way. We need to suffer, run a lot, and support each other. The opponent has serious quality, but we should focus on the things that are in our hands."
© Imago
![]()
Hansi Flick on facing Frankfurt
"It's a special team. I lived near there and my grandson is a fan. They work well, but perhaps lack a bit of consistency. However, they have personality and rhythm and they can hurt their opponents."
© Imago
Frankfurt forlorn
A 6-0 defeat in Leipzig gave Eintracht an evening to forget before travelling to Barcelona.
![]()
Barcelona bouyant
A Ferran Torres hat-trick in a 5-3 win at Real Betis on Saturday moved Barca four points clear of arch rivals Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
© IMAGO/Jose Luis Contreras
![]()
Historic night in store
The match will be the first Champions League encounter at the legendary Camp Nou since its recent reopening following rebuilding work.
© IMAGO/Xavi Bonilla / DeFodi Images
![]()
Dino looking to 2022
Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmöller told the Bundesliga how the club's famous win in Barcelona in 2022 can inspire Eintracht's current crop, saying: "That experience was probably unique in football history, and it is wonderful that Eintracht Frankfurt was able to write exactly that story — with the result, and with that many fans in the stadium. It will remain unforgettable for everyone. Now it is a completely different situation. It is a different competition — back then Europa League, now Champions League. We should all look forward to the match. It is something very special to step onto that pitch. And together with our fans, we can always surprise people — that is clear."
© IMAGO/Ulrich Hufnagel/IMAGO/Ulrich Hufnagel
![]()
Familiar faces
They are several Bundesliga alumni amongst the Barcelona squad. Former Borussia Mönchengladbach goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is injured and will miss out, but fellow ex-Gladbach man Andreas Christensen could feature following Ronald Araújo's red card against Chelsea. Ex-RB Leipzig man Dani Olmo is also unavailable, while Bayern Munich legend Robert Lewandowski should lead the line.
© Sergio Ruiz / Imago
![]()
Head-to-head
These teams have met just twice before, but it was a memorable tie for Frankfurt. The Eagles were drawn against the Spanish giants in the quarter-finals of the 2021/22 Europa League and, after a draw at home, around 30,000 supporters saw their team prevail 3-2 at the Camp Nou to progress. That term, Frankfurt went on to win the trophy.
© IMAGO/Joan Gosa/IMAGO/Xinhua
![]()
Barcelona - the story so far
Barcelona have fared slightly better, but have hardly shone. There have been high points - such as the 6-1 win over Olympiacos and the 2-1 defeat of Newcastle United - yet losses to Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea have put them in a potentially precarious position heading into the final three league phrase matches.
© IMAGO/Sebastian Frej
![]()
Eintracht Frankfurt - the story so far
After five games, Frankfurt are in need of points if they want to stay in the competition beyond the league phase. They started off with a memorable 5-1 win over Galatasaray, but then suffered back-to-back defeats by the same scoreline versus Atlético Madrid and Liverpool. A 0-0 draw with Napoli steadied the ship somewhat, yet another heavy loss, this time 3-0 against Atalanta, disrupted things once more.
© IMAGO/Jan Huebner
Welcome!
Welcome along and thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of Eintracht Frankfurt's Champions League encounter away at Barcelona on Matchday 6 of the league phase, which kicks off at 9pm CET on Tuesday.
