Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Europa League match.
Last week, Beşiktaş suffered a heavy defeat in Amsterdam, losing 4:0 to Ajax. The passionate Istanbul support will aim to boost their side against Eintracht Frankfurt, but the visitors are in fine form and are poised to leave Turkey with all three points.
Beşiktaş
The setback in Amsterdam was not Beşiktaş's first defensive misstep in European competitions. During the Europa League qualifiers, they conceded four goals over 180 minutes against Lugano (8:4 on aggregate). Another issue for the Istanbul side may be their lacklustre creativity against Ajax: they responded to 2.41 xGA with just 0.05 xG, failing to register a single shot on target throughout the entire match. This outcome dealt a severe blow to the squad's morale.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt have secured five wins in their last seven outings this campaign. Last week, they scored a total of seven goals against Viktoria Plzeň (3:3) and Holstein Kiel (4:2). Hugo Ekitiké shone against the Czechs with a goal and an assist, while Omar Marmoush inspired his teammates with two goals and two assists against the Bundesliga newcomers. The coaching staff can continue to rely on their striking partnerships, especially with their main goalkeeper Kevin Trapp set to return from injury soon.
Beşiktaş vs Eintracht Frankfurt Prediction
Beşiktaş's failure away at Ajax stemmed from tactical shortcomings in defence. In Istanbul, Eintracht Frankfurt are poised to earn points—their strong attacking form supports taking them with a zero handicap.
