Eintracht Frankfurt – FC Schalke 04

EF - Winning run continues

Eintracht Frankfurt not only celebrated their first Bundesliga win in Mainz on the last matchday, but also their third consecutive victory. They last enjoyed such a run almost two years ago in spring 2019 (6 wins in a row back then).

S04 - Negative record avoided

After almost a year of setbacks, everything went well for Schalke on the last matchday against Hoffenheim. 

Thanks to Hoppe, Harit and a helping hand from TSG, the Royal Blues managed to end their historic negative run of 30 top-flight games without a win before equalling 1965-66 Tasmania’s all-time record. 

S04 were clinical in front of goal (shots on target: 5-5, final score: 4-0), scored all four goals from counter-attacks and were saved from falling behind on several occasions in the first half by the impressive Ralf Fährmann (5 saves). 

Despite Schalke’s 12 shots to Hoffenheim’s 18, they ended their negative run with their first victory since January 2020 (358 days).

S04 - Clean sheet for the Royal Blues

Schalke kept their first clean sheet since February 2020 on the last matchday against Hoffenheim. They’d conceded at least once in each of their previous 26 Bundesliga games. 

Christian Gross managed what Huub Stevens, who is famed for his “we have to keep a clean sheet” mantra, failed to achieve before Christmas. 

Gross also celebrated his first Bundesliga win since September 2010 – back then he secured a spectacular 7-0 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach with VfB Stuttgart.

EF - Solid at home

Eintracht Frankfurt are unbeaten in their last 9 home matches (W4, D5), spanning multiple seasons. 

The Eagles last enjoyed such a successful run at home four years ago, when they managed 11 consecutive games without defeat at Deutsche Bank Park under Niko Kovac. 

They’re currently on their best run of results at home to date under Adi Hütter.

S04 - Negative club record possible

Schalke are winless in 18 top-flight away games and they could now equal the unwanted negative club record of 19 Bundesliga matches on their travels without a victory in Frankfurt. 

This record was set a long time ago, when the Royal Blues failed to win a single away game between November 1963 and January 1965.

EF - Strong at home against Schalke

Frankfurt have won more Bundesliga home games against Schalke (26) than against any other top-flight side. 

The Eagles are currently unbeaten in 9 home matches against the Royal Blues (W5, D4). 

Schalke’s last victory in Frankfurt was 11 years ago, when they ran out 1-4 winners on 6th March 2010.

EF - André Silva overtakes the greats

André Silva scored his fifth and sixth Bundesliga penalties in Mainz as he notched up his 10th and 11th goals for the season. 

Only Theofanis Gekas 10 years ago had previously scored more goals after 15 matchdays for Frankfurt (13 in 2010/11). 

No other SGE goalscorer has previously hit this mark by this stage of a campaign – neither Alexander Meier, Anthony Yeboah, Bernd Hölzenbein, Bernd Nickel nor Jürgen Grabowski were as successful after 15 matchdays.

S04 - Hoppe hits the ground running

Matthew Hoppe became the youngest player to score a Bundesliga hat-trick for Schalke last weekend against Hoffenheim. 

Only Frankfurt’s Walter Bechtold (1965) and Dortmund’s Erling Haaland (2020) have netted a top-flight hat-trick at a younger age. 

The quality of the American’s finishes was also impressive as he scored from Amine Harit’s assists.

EF - Set pieces help again

Frankfurt have already been awarded 6 penalties this season – only RB Leipzig have had more. 

Thanks to André Silva, who has scored 5 of these 6 spot kicks (the other netted by the de- parted Bas Dost), Eintracht have netted 10 goals from set pieces in 2020/21 – their tally is only bettered by Mönchengladbach and Union Berlin (both 11).

S04 - Harit back to his best

Amine Harit made his 100th competitive appearance for Schalke on the last matchday against Hoffenheim and was directly involved in all 4 goals. 

In his previous 99 games for the Royal Blues, he had a hand in a maximum of 2 goals in a single match. 

The Morocco international not only provided 3 assists, but also ended his 22-game goal drought in the Bundesliga (1,740 minutes).

S04 - Good luck charm and captain Kolasinac

Sead Kolasinac made his 95th Bundesliga appearance (all for Schalke) on the last matchday against Hoffenheim. 

He captained the Royal Blues for the first time and enjoyed a successful comeback in the top flight after 1,337 days. 

Kolasinac was the 30th player to feature for Schalke in the Bundesliga this season (in their 15 games) – S04 have used more players than any other top-flight side in 2020/21.

EF - The captain departs

David Abraham could be about to play his last Bundesliga game. 

Due to family reasons, he is leaving Frankfurt and returning to his native Argentina. 

He has chosen the last Hinrunde home fixture against Schalke for his final match. 

If he features, it will be his 185th Bundesliga appearance (6 goals), of which 139 have been for Frankfurt (4 goals). 

He has impressed over the years with his straightforward and robust defending.

S04 / EF - Gross scored against Frankfurt as a player

Schalke head coach Christian Gross scored the first of his 4 Bundesliga goals against SGE, netting in VfL Bochum’s 2-0 home win against Frankfurt on 20th September 1980. 

Gross is ahead of his counterpart Adi Hütter in one respect – he has won 6 Swiss Super League titles (2 with Grasshopper Club Zürich and 4 with Basel) compared to Adi Hütter’s one (2018 with BSC Young Boys, who Gross also managed), although Hütter has spent significantly less time coaching in Switzerland.

S04 / EF - Former Frankfurt players

Bastian Oczipka and Omar Mascarell both made the move from Frankfurt to Schalke. 

After 5 years with the Eagles, in which he scored 2 goals and provided 23 assists in 145 Bundesliga games, Oczipka joined S04 in 2017. 

Mascarell, who scored 1 goal in 37 top-flight appearances for Frankfurt, followed him to the Royal Blues a year later (2018).