Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Europa League match.
Eintracht Frankfurt are almost certain to secure direct qualification to the Europa League Round of 16. The German side currently sit second in the standings, three points clear of ninth place. AS Roma, however, are on the brink of elimination—even a draw could see them crash out of the tournament. A win is their only real option.
AS Roma
Fortunately for Roma, they will be playing at home, where they have been in excellent form, winning their last six matches across all competitions. While most of these victories came against mid-table opponents, they also beat Lazio (2:0), who currently lead the Europa League standings and are on course to qualify for the Champions League via Serie A. At the Olimpico in this competition, Roma have only dropped points once, drawing with Athletic Bilbao (1:1)—and even then, the Basque side only equalised in the 85th minute.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht have lost their key attacking weapon, as Omar Marmoush completed a big-money transfer to Manchester City. The Egyptian striker had been in sensational form, scoring 20 goals in 26 matches across all competitions. So far, his departure has not affected their attacking output—they beat Ferencváros (2:0) in their last Europa League match, while in the Bundesliga, they scored twice against both Borussia Dortmund (2:0) and Hoffenheim (2:2).
AS Roma vs Eintracht Frankfurt Prediction
Roma score consistently at home, while Eintracht have netted in their last nine matches. Given the circumstances—Roma desperately need a win, and Eintracht are still dangerous in attack despite losing Omar Marmoush—both teams should find the net at least once.
