Bayern Munich vs. Eintracht Frankfurt: the top 5 previous meetings
The record champions have had the better of the fixture overall, but there have been some incredible matches between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich down through the years. Ahead of their second encounter in 2022/23, bundesliga.com picks out some of the most memorable meetings between the sides...
More often than not, Bayern have come out on top when they have met Eintracht. Indeed, the last time these sides met on opening night this season, the record Bundesliga champions ran out 6-1 winners at the home of the Eagles. That victory - which came courtesy of goals from Joshua Kimmich, Benjamin Pavard, Sadio Mane, Jamal Musiala [x2] and Serge Gnabry meant that Bayern had won 57 of the 103 Bundesliga matches between the teams. The Bavarians have lost just 24 times to Eintracht in the top flight in that time.
It's not just in the Bundesliga where the two have clashed, however. As the reigning champions and a high-flying Frankfurt prepare to do battle, we look back on five of the most dramatic contests involving two of Germany's most successful clubs.
Watch: Bayern run riot in Frankfurt last time out ...
22 April 1980: Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 Bayern Munich
In April 1980, Eintracht and Bayern were drawn together as part of an all-German UEFA Cup semi-final line-up. Bayern had beaten Kaiserslautern in the last eight to reach that stage, and the other last-four tie saw VfB Stuttgart face Borussia Mönchengladbach.
The teams had already played two league matches by the time they met in Europe. Eintracht had come from two down to win 3-2 at home in October, while Bayern didn't let a 2-0 lead slip when the sides met again in March.
Two weeks after the latter match, Bayern and Eintracht were back in Munich for the first of their two European clashes. A Dieter Hoeneß strike and a Paul Breitner penalty - both in the second half - gave Bayern a 2-0 advantage ahead of the return leg two weeks later.
Austrian defender Bruno Pezzey was the unlikely hero in the first act of that second leg, forcing extra-time with goals on 31 and 87 minutes. Harald Karger then put the Eagles ahead for all of two minutes before Wolfgang Dremmler made it 3-3 on aggregate heading into the second half of extra-time. Karger's second goal on 107 minutes put Eintracht in front again, and Werner Lorant sealed the win with a penalty two minutes from time.
Watch: The top 10 Bundesliga goals between Frankfurt and Bayern since 2000
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Eintracht repeated the trick against Gladbach in the final. Trailing 3-2 from the first leg, the Eagles won the second 1-0 in front of 59,000 fans. Fred Schaub was introduced on 77 minutes, and four minutes later the 20-year-old got the all-important winner that saw Eintracht lift the trophy thanks to the away goals rule. Bayern, meanwhile, got consolation by winning their fifth Bundesliga title.
29 May 1981: Bayern Munich 7-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
Three matches out from the end of the 1980/81 Bundesliga season, Bayern had opened up a two-point lead over Hamburg in the title race. On Matchday 32, though, they had a tough fixture against fifth-placed Eintracht.
The sides had drawn 0-0 in Frankfurt earlier in the campaign, and with 54 minutes gone that was the score at the Olympiastadion in Munich too. That was when Wolfgang Krauss struck to put Bayern ahead, after which point the floodgates were well and truly opened. Breitner and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - who would finish as the league's topscorer, for the second year running, on 29 goals - both found the net twice to make it 5-0 after 80 minutes.
The visitors got on the board through Ronny Borchers and Bum-kun Cha, but Breitner completed his hat-trick and Dieter Hoeneß had the final say in the final minute. Hamburg could only draw at Karlsruher the same day, and Bayern went on to make it back-to-back titles.
19 May 2018: Bayern Munich 1-3 Eintracht Frankfurt
The 2017/18 DFB Cup final was a huge moment for Eintracht. Without a trophy since 1988 and relegated four times since 1996, the Eagles were desperate for some silverware. A late-season loss of form had cost them a top-four finish, and their coach Niko Kovac had also confirmed he would be leaving for Bayern the following season.
Eintracht had reached the final for a second year running, after Ante Rebic scored but they lost 2-1 to Borussia Dortmund in 2016/17. Croatian forward Rebic was on target again in the showpiece this time, latching onto a pass from Kevin-Prince Boateng to give his side an 11th-minute lead. Robert Lewandowski replied for Bayern eight minutes into the second half, but this time fortune would favour the underdogs.
Rebic raced clear with eight minutes left to lift the ball over Sven Ulreich and - with double-chasing Bayern throwing everyone forward - substitute Mijat Gacinovic sealed victory with an empty-net goal six minutes into injury-time.
The win was made all the sweeter by the fact that defender Marco Russ - who needed time away from the game after being diagnosed with cancer in May 2016 - was sent on for the final 16 minutes.
"Football writes the most beautiful stories," Kovac said afterwards. "When you stick together, you can achieve anything."
12 Aug 2018: Eintracht Frankfurt 0-5 Bayern Munich
Bayern didn't have to wait too long to gain revenge for the cup final defeat. As runaway league champions in 2017/18 - and with Kovac freshly installed as their head coach - the Munich giants faced the Eagles again in the 2018/19 DFL Supercup.
Eintracht had home advantage in the curtain raiser for the season, but Bayern were determined to grab the first trophy on offer that year. Two Lewandowski headers - on 21 and 26 minutes - gave the visitors a firm grip on the game by half-time.
Bayern didn't let up and their second-half pressure paid on 54 minutes when Lewandowski got his hat-trick. Kingsley Coman added a fourth past the hour mark, and the French winger then set up Thiago for 5-0 five minutes from the end. It was a third consecutive Supercup triumph for Bayern, and the second that Eintracht had lost.
"A deserved victory - even by this scoreline," was how Kovac put it afterwards.
Watch: Highlights of Bayern's Supercup win
4 November 2019: Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 Bayern Munich
Just like Kovac knows football can write some beautiful stories, it can also be a cruel game too. Shortly after becoming the first person to win a league and cup double as both a Bayern player and a coach, the former Croatia midfielder's second season in Munich came to a premature end.
Bayern had won only five of their first nine league games when they travelled to Frankfurt on Matchday 10 of the 2018/19 season, and Kovac's old team didn’t hold back.
A 500th appearance in Bayern colours for Thomas Müller was one to forget, not helped by his teammate Jerome Boateng being red carded after nine minutes. Filip Kostic and Djibril Sow had the home team 2-0 up by 33 minutes, but Lewandowski pulled a goal back four minutes later to give Bayern hope.
Watch: Highlights of Eintracht's stunning 5-1 success
Defenders David Abraham and Martin Hinteregger both scored in the second half, however, and Portuguese attacker Goncalo Paciencia made it a five-star show five minutes from time.
"We knew we could beat any opponent but you need a near-perfect day against Bayern," said Sow after playing a part in Bayern's heaviest league defeat in 10 years. "That was the case today."
It marked the first time Eintracht had beaten Bayern in the Bundesliga since March 2010, ending a run of three draws and 13 defeats.
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