Eintracht Frankfurt vs. St. Pauli preview: Die Adler seeking UCL qualification | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt

Frankfurt are sitting in third position after winning 15, drawing seven and losing eight of their 32 league matches this season. Die Adler are one point better off than fourth-placed Freiburg, while they boast a four-point buffer to Borussia Dortmund in fifth position. As a result, Frankfurt could seal a top-four finish before they even kick off on Sunday, if Borussia Dortmund lose in their home game against Bayer Leverkusen. However, if Dortmund avoid defeat, Frankfurt know they have to match their result to secure Champions League qualification with one game left to play.

Dino Toppmöller’s side have proven to be a tough team to beat in recent times, having avoided defeat in each of their last four matches since losing to Werder Bremen on April 5. They recorded comfortable home wins against Heidenheim and RB Leipzig, on either side of a goalless away draw against Augsburg. Die Adler then had to settle for a 1-1 scoreline in last Sunday’s meeting with Mainz 05 after Rasmus Kristensen saw his opener cancelled out by Jonathan Burkardt’s 57th-minute equaliser, extending Frankfurt’s winless away run to three league matches.

With that in mind, Frankfurt will be looking forward to returning to Deutsche Bank Park, where they have won each of their last three Bundesliga home games without conceding.

Team News

The hosts are unable to call upon Kaua Santos and Mario Gotze due to knee and thigh injuries respectively.

St. Pauli

St. Pauli are languishing in 15th position after winning eight, drawing seven and losing 17 of their 32 league matches. With two games left to play, Alexander Blessin’s side are sitting just two points above Heidenheim, who recorded a 3-0 victory over Union Berlin on Saturday. While they are still at risk of dropping into the relegation playoff spot, St. Pauli know that a win on Sunday would secure survival ahead of the final matchday. Even a draw would likely be enough due to their significant goal difference advantage over Heidenheim.

Sunday’s visitors will travel to Frankfurt on the back of a narrow defeat against Stuttgart. They looked set to play out a goalless draw at Millerntor-Stadion, before Nick Woltemade netted an 88th-minute winner to condemn St. Pauli to a narrow 1-0 defeat, bringing an end to their four-game unbeaten run (W1, D3).

St. Pauli will at least take confidence from the fact that they have taken four points from their last two away outings, beating Holstein Kiel 2-1 before holding Werder Bremen to a goalless draw. As a result of that stalemate, St. Pauli have recorded five clean sheets in 16 away league games this season - a tally that has only been bettered by three teams in the division.

Team News

St. Pauli are without James Sands, Abdoulie Ceesay, Sascha Burchert, Elias Saad, Simon Zoller and Karol Met. Meanwhile, Vasilj and Van der Heyden are both suspended after being sent off against Stuttgart.