Eintracht Frankfurt and in-form forward Omar Marmoush visit wounded Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday battling the weight of history. Frankfurt have lost their past 10 games at the BayArena, last avoiding defeat in a 1-1 draw in 2014, when current Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso was still playing for Bayern Munich. Despite that lean run, Eintracht meet the reigning German league and cup holders full of confidence. Frankfurt scored in added time to draw 3-3 at home against leaders Bayern last time out and remain a point behind in third.
Marmoush has eight goals and four assists in just six league games this season. On Thursday, the Bundesliga named him player of the month for September.
Coach Dino Toppmoeller said Thursday his Frankfurt side “have the weapons to hurt the opponent”.
“We’re really up for it. It’s always nice to play against an absolute top team to be able to prove yourself.”
Marmoush started both matches as Egypt beat Mauritania twice in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying and was “still on a plane” as Toppmoeller gave his press conference.
Unbeaten last campaign, fifth-placed Leverkusen have fallen back to earth this season.
Alonso’s side have already dropped seven points in six games, having given up just 12 in the entirety of last term.
Leverkusen have conceded 12 goals, already half of last season’s total of 24.
They could also deprived of firepower up front.
Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface, who boast four goals apiece this term, are both injury doubts.
Wirtz was substituted at half-time in Germany’s win over the Netherlands in Munich on Monday and did not train on Wednesday.
Boniface may not start having spent 13 hours on the floor of a Libyan airport “without food or sleep” before Nigeria boycotted their AFCON qualifier, complaining of “inhumane treatment”.
Elsewhere, Bayern host Stuttgart, who surprisingly finished second last season.
Speaking Thursday, Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness said Bayern were “back to their old strength again”, adding “they’re very well set up (and coach) Vincent Kompany seems to be doing a great job.
“They’ve got an incredible squad but we want to use our chances.”
Bayern have drawn their last two fixtures allowing the pack to close in.
Four points separate Bayern from Borussia Dortmund in seventh.
Dortmund host St Pauli on Friday looking to rebound from their loss at Union Berlin.
RB Leipzig travel to Mainz on Saturday and can go first with a win, at least until Bayern and Stuttgart meet later in the day.
One to watch: Ermedin Demirovic (Stuttgart)
While Serhou Guirassy‘s success since his move from Stuttgart to Dortmund has grabbed the headlines, his replacement, Ermedin Demirovic, is putting together an impressive season of his own.
Demirovic has five goals in six league games, despite starting just four times.
The 26-year-old Leipzig academy product has linked well with Germany striker Deniz Undav, who has four goals himself.
Demirovic knows how to score against Bayern, with two goals and an assist in two games as captain of former club Augsburg last season.
Key stats
Two – Leipzig have conceded just two goals in six games this season — the lowest in the league — while keeping four clean sheets.
38 – Dortmund are unbeaten at home in their last 38 Friday-night games dating back to 2004, a run of 29 wins and nine draws.
Two in five – Bayern have won just two of their past five matches against Stuttgart.
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