Bundesliga: Will Sahin Get a Reaction in Frankfurt?

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund suffered a damaging 4-2 reversal to relegation battlers Holstein Kiel on Tuesday night in one of the shock results of German top-flight football this year. But as the action keeps on coming thick and fast, Nuri Sahin’s BVB have an immediate chance to put things right when Eintracht Frankfurt vs Borussia Dortmund opens Round 18 of the 2024-25 Bundesliga campaign on Friday night. The loss to Kiel dropped Die Schwarzgelben to ninth in the league table, but Eintracht manager Dino Toppmoller is in a happier place after his side whacked top seven rivals SC Freiburg to cement their place in third.

While Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich battle it out for the 2025 Bundesliga title, these two teams are competing with the likes of RB Leipzig, SC Freiburg, VfL Wolfsburg, and Mainz for a Champions League place. The Eagles are well placed but, halfway through the campaign, Sahin needs to see a turnaround from his talented squad.      

 

Talking Points

Is Marmoush on his way?

The big Bundesliga 2025 news bubbling this week is the question around the future of red-hot striker Omar Marmoush, who is in huge demand having produced 15 goals in 17 games and 10 assists – a tally which has prompted Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to seriously ponder a January move. Since his transfer from Wolfsburg in 2023, the 25-year-old Egyptian star has come on in leaps and bounds and has become the natural successor to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah as the Pharaoh’s lethal weapon.

Speculation is rising that the win over Freiburg could be Marmoush’s last appearance for the Eagles, and what a performance it was as he scored once and assisted twice in Frankfurt’s second win in succession. The visitors opened the scoring, but Marmoush then took the game by the scruff of the neck, curling in a corner for Robin Kock to head the equaliser and then striking himself to give Frankfurt a lead. Hugo Ekitike doubled the advantage with his eighth goal of the season before Marmoush teed up Nnamdi Collins to round off a dominant display.  

If he does head to Manchester City, as seems increasingly likely, Marmoush will leave a big hole in the Eagles’ attack.  

 

Pressure on Sahin is intensifying

BVB’s post-Christmas return against Bayer Leverkusen was a disappointment as they fell to a 3-2 home defeat, but the loss to Holstein Kiel was a crushing blow which prompted anger in the boardroom and in the stands.

A flu virus had spread through the squad and backroom staff in Dortmund, and the players who did turn out against the strugglers of Kiel certainly looked off the pace in the first half. The home fans couldn’t believe their eyes as they watched their team pick up a third win in 17 games to give themselves a glimmer of hope of survival.

Three goals in a superb first 45 for the hosts finished the game and, while the excellent Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Gio Reyna hauled Die Schwarzgelben back it the game with a quarter of an hour remaining, the visitors managed to mess it up again, even after Kiel went down to 10 men after Lewis Holtby was sent off. BVB threw everything forward including keeper Gregor Kobel and Kiel’s Fiete Arp made it 4-2 when he found the empty net from all of 45 yards.

After they face Eintracht on Friday, Sahin’s side meet Bologna in the Champions League, and now is the time for Sahin to get a response before it’s too late.           

 

History

BVB are ahead in the head-to-head meetings by 32 victories to 11, and there have been 14 draws in all competitions since 1992. Dortmund won the return game 2-0 on the first day of this season, as Gittens announced himself with a brace.

Up to midweek, neither team had been in great form, with one win from six. But Eintracht’s victory over Freiburg made it back-to-back wins, while Dortmund are still in a mini slump.  

 

Betting Tip

Asian handicap SBOTOP is the place to be for the best range of Bundesliga 2025 betting odds. And the hosts are priced at 2.26 to win with BVB at 2.52, and the draw is priced at 3.38.  

They’ve struggled since the return, but BVB won impressively away to Wolfsburg before the break, and they won the second half against Kiel. The uncertainly around Marmoush could open the door for Sahin’s men in Frankfurt. If they are over their flu virus, the Scwharzgelben might just grab another big away win.

   

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