S04 Schalke FC Schalke 04 - SGE Frankfurt Eintracht Frankfurt

Thomas Reis makes five switches to the side that were beaten 6-0 at Bayern Munich last weekend. Tim Skarke replaces the suspended Marius Bülter, with Moritz Jenz starting in defence for the first time in four weeks - and partnering with Sepp van den Berg at the back for the first time.

No change as Oliver Glasner sticks to the same starting XI that guided Eintracht to a 3-0 win over Mainz last weekend - their first win in 11 in the Bundesliga.

Schwolow - Brunner, Jenz, van den Berg, Matriciani - Kral, Krauß - Karaman, Zalazar, Skarke - Terodde (c)

Langer, Ouwejan, Kaminski, Latza, Can Aydin, Drexler, Mohr, Frey, Polter

Trapp - Toure, Tuta, N’Dicka - Buta, Rode (c), Sow, Lenz - Kamada, Götze - Kolo Muani

Ramaj, Hasebe, Gebuhr, Chandler, Dina Ebimbe, Lindstrom, Aaronson, Borre, Knauff

After collecting back-to-back victories for just the second time this season, Schalke were humbled by Bayern on Matchday 32. They have won each of their previous two home league games and lost just one of the last seven at the Veltins Arena (W3, D3, L1). They remain a point adrift of safety; victory here has the potential to move them clear of the bottom three, defeat could leave them second-bottom.

The victory over Mainz last weekend ended Frankfurt's 10-game winless run (D5, L5) in the league, which saw them move from title-contenders to mid-table. Those three points collected on Matchday 32 leaves them within just three of the top six and still in contention of securing European qualification for next season - something they can also do by winning the DFB Cup in a fortnight.

Schwolow - Brunner, Jenz, Kaminski, Matriciani - Kral, Krauß - Karaman, Zalazar, Skarke - Terodde (c)

Balanta (knee), Bülter (suspended), Fährmann (thigh), Heekeren (cruciate ligament), Kozuki (ankle), Uronen (muscular)

Trapp - Toure, Tuta, N’Dicka - Buta, Rode (c), Sow, Lenz - Kamada, Götze - Kolo Muani

Alario (knee), Jakic (calf), Max (thigh), Smolcic (knee)

Schalke's leading scorer Marius Bülter misses the tie suspended. He has single-handedly scored 35% of Schalke's goals this season (11 of 31).

Schalke's Simon Terodde has scored more goals against Frankfurt than any other Bundesliga side - three.

Schalke go into the tie with two successive home wins behind them. They haven't won three on the bounce at home for five years.

Frankfurt's French striker Randal Kolo Muani has nine goals in 2023, which is the joint most in the Bundesliga.

Departing Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner has never lost in six meetings against Schalke.

Frankfurt have failed to win their past 10 Bundesliga away matches, and have just two away points in the second half of the season - only Hertha Berlin have fewer in that time.

It really could go either way for Schalke, who head into the penultimate round of 2022/23 fixtures in the relegation play-off spot, a point clear of the bottom two and one adrift of outright safety. They cannot be relegated this weekend, but there is the possibility to at least rule out automatic relegation going into the final weekend. The problem is: eighth-placed Frankfurt are among the handful of teams vying for European qualification.