Tonight my fellow felines, the UEFA Europa League delivers a decisive second-leg battle as Eintracht Frankfurt hosts Ajax at Deutsche Bank Park. With Frankfurt holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, the stakes are as high as a cat perched on top of a bookshelf. Both teams will need their sharpest claws out to fight for a spot in the next round.
Frankfurt has been prowling near the top of the Bundesliga, currently sitting fourth in the table. But lately, their form has been as unpredictable as a cat chasing a laser pointer, just two win in their last eight matches across all competitions. A recent 1-2 loss against Union Berlin showed they have some serious challenges in attack and defensively, they’ve been leaving the back door open like a distracted human. To make things trickier, injuries have left the squad a little thin, with defender Timothy Chandler still out with a thigh injury. But Frankfurt has been fairly strong at home this season, and if they can keep their fur from getting ruffled, they’ll be in a good position to finish the job in front of their fans.
Ajax, meanwhile, is lurking in first place in the Eredivisie, leaving the chasing tail well behind them. But their European journey has been anything but smooth. In the previous round, they had to claw their way past Union Saint-Gilloise in extra time, proving they have a fight, but also a few weak spots. Domestically, they’ve been steady, winning six straight league games and their away form has been about as stable as a cat balancing on a curtain rod the entire campaign. The Dutch side is also dealing with some key injuries. Goalkeeper Remko Pasveer is out, leaving Ajax without their usual steady paws between the posts. Up front, Wout Weghorst is also missing, taking away one of their biggest attacking threats. If Ajax wants to overturn the deficit, they’ll need to pounce early and make the most of their chances.
Frankfurt’s home advantage and aggregate lead put them in the best position and likely will come out with an objective to play it home safe to lock in the advancement. However, their inconsistency means they can’t afford to curl up and relax just yet as Ajax has the attacking talent to turn things around Expect Frankfurt to back down from off the bat while the Dutch sharpening their claws for a fight to the finish. Who will land on their feet and move on to the next round? Frankfurt will look to hold their ground and move to the next stage through landing on their feet tonight with a draw.
You’re welcome!
FRANKFURT VS AJAX
3.80
DRAW
