Ajax vs Eintracht Frankfurt prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-03-05 20:00.
[p]After being knocked out of the UEFA Champions league at this stage by Benfica in 2021/22 and by Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League last year, Ajax will attempt to go beyond the Round of 16 in European competition for the first time since the 2020/21 season when they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Europa League (UEL).[/p]
[p]The first leg takes place in Amsterdam on Thursday and Francesco Farioli’s side will be gunning for an eighth win from their last nine league and cup games (L1) at the Johan Cruyff Arena. But worryingly for the home faithful, Ajax’s last two defeats as hosts have both come in the UEL and they’ve lost four of their last six games (W2) in this competition.[/p]
[p]Eintracht Frankfurt will make the journey north west with poor form of their own to contend with after winning only one of their last seven league and cup fixtures (D3, L3). Away from home it’s even worse for the Germans, who have lost five of their last eight on the road (W1, D2) including defeats against Lyon and Roma on their last two UEL trips.[/p]
[p]With just one clean sheet from their last 12 European away games, and after leaking eight goals across their last two Bundesliga matches, an improvement at the back is imperative for the Eagles. Somewhat concerningly, those two league fixtures were against the top two sides, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, so Dino Toppmöller’s men will need to be focused when taking on an experienced and historically successful European opponent. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Brian Brobbey has been in fine form at home, scoring in each of his last three appearances at the Johan Cruyff Arena, with Ajax winning all three games. Hugo Ekitike was involved in four goals (G2, A2) during the UEL group stage and he has already found the net seven times in 2025, with the three goals in away games contributing to two draws.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Eintracht Frankfurt have failed to keep a clean sheet across their last nine UEL away games.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Tom Penn[/i][/p]