Why Eintracht Frankfurt will beat Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League

Eintracht Frankfurt face arguably the toughest assignment of their UEFA Champions League league-phase campaign when they travel to Barcelona on Tuesday, but the Eagles do not have to look too far for inspiration as they return to the scene of one of their most memorable victories.

On their last visit to Catalonia, in April 2022, Oliver Glasner’s Eintracht arrived at the Camp Nou with their hopes of reaching the UEFA Europa League semi-finals firmly in the balance, having been held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Deutsche Bank Park seven days earlier.

As it turned out, Frankfurt fans needn’t have worried. In front of nearly 30,000 travelling supporters, Glasner’s team stunned their opponents – who had been on a 15-match unbeaten run in all competitions – with a masterclass in counter-attacking football.

Filip Kostić scored twice in Eintracht's magnificent 3-2 win at Camp Nou in April 2022 - the Eagles' only previous visit. - IMAGO/Ulrich Hufnagel/IMAGO/Ulrich Hufnagel

A Filip Kostić penalty and a thunderous long-range strike from Rafael Borré gave Eintracht a 2-0 half-time lead, before Kostić struck again midway through the second half to put the visitors within touching distance of the last four.

Barcelona netted twice in second-half stoppage time – either side of Eagles defender Evan N’Dicka’s dismissal – but Frankfurt held on for a 3-2 win that made the rest of Europe sit up and take notice.

“It was incredible how the lads performed,” said Glasner, whose side would go on to lift the Europa League trophy on an equally memorable evening in Seville the following month. “Everyone here will never forget this.”

Plenty of water has flown down the River Main since that famous night, and while it will take more than nostalgia for Dino Toppmöller’s side to emerge triumphant from the teams’ latest tussle, Frankfurt’s latest vintage could hardly ask for better inspiration.

While a cursory glance at Eintracht’s league-phase results so far this season may point to a tough evening for Toppmöller’s troops, recent defeats to Atlético Madrid, Liverpool and Atalanta do not paint a full picture – far from it.

For one, the Eagles travel to Spain following some encouraging recent form. Matchday 13's 6-0 defeat to RB Leipzig was chastening, but it came following a five-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga, while they have lost just two of their past nine league matches. The trip to Leipzig was also only the second top-flight fixture this term in which they have failed to score.

Watch: Farès Chaibi, the Frankfurt fulcrum

For another, they currently boast the joint second-best attack in the division, having found the net a whopping 28 times in their 13 games so far.

Star striker Jonathan Burkardt will miss Tuesday’s game with a calf muscle injury, but the likes of Ritsu Dōan, Jean-Matteo Bahoya, Farès Chaibi – and possibly even Can Uzun, who is on the brink of a return from a hamstring injury – are more than capable of filling the Germany international’s shoes.

Indeed, Eintracht’s attackers will likely be licking their lips at the prospect of facing a Barcelona defence who have shipped 10 goals in their five Champions League encounters so far this term – more than 22 of the 36 teams in the league phase. Even in La Liga, where they lead the table, they have shipped the joint-most goals amongst the top 11 sides in the standings.

Barcelona have conceded three times in both their last two Champions League fixtures, losing 3-0 at Chelsea late last month. - IMAGO/Paul Terry

The Eagles are not infallible in that department themselves, but just last month they became only the second team this season to prevent reigning Serie A champions Napoli from scoring at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, restricting their hosts to just three shots on target – with two of those coming in second-half stoppage time.

That miserly display in Naples forms the ideal defensive blueprint for Tuesday’s encounter with former Bayern and Borussia Dortmund star Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal and company. The Leipzig game, meanwhile, should come as a timely reminder of what not to do defensively.

And if Eintracht can make the most of the chances that will undoubtedly come their way, they stand every chance of pulling off another magnificent victory and moving level on points with Hansi Flick’s team in the league phase rankings.

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