Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Europa League match.
The thrilling first-leg clash in Amsterdam (2:1) left this tie finely poised, with both sides still in contention for a quarter-final spot. Eintracht Frankfurt will have the advantage of playing at home, but their defensive frailties remain a concern—a weakness that Ajax, the Eredivisie leaders, will look to exploit.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Since the departure of Omar Marmoush to Manchester City, Eintracht Frankfurt have struggled to find consistency. The Frankfurt side have won just two of their last nine matches since 26 January, conceding at least one goal in each of those fixtures. The "Both Teams to Score – Yes" market has hit seven times in this run. In Amsterdam, they secured the win thanks to their dangerous wing play, but Ajax actually generated slightly more xG (1.66 vs 1.60), showing their attacking potential.
Ajax
Ajax started well in the first leg, with Brian Brobbey scoring inside the first 10 minutes, but goalkeeper Remko Pasveer's injury seemed to disrupt their confidence. Despite that, the Dutch side have been excellent away from home, winning their last four road games without conceding a single goal (6:0 aggregate). They will, however, miss Pasveer, Jordan Henderson (suspension), and potentially Kenneth Taylor and Christian Rasmussen due to injuries.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Ajax Prediction
Eintracht Frankfurt will also have defensive issues, as key centre-back Nnamdi Collins is suspended, which weakens their backline even further. Ajax have enough quality to find the net, but their own defensive vulnerabilities should allow Eintracht to strike as well.
