Albert Riera is likely to depart Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of the season, just over three months after taking charge, following a run of disappointing results. The 44-year-old replaced Dino Toppmöller in February but has overseen four wins, four draws, and five defeats in 16 Bundesliga matches.
Recent back-to-back losses against Hamburg SV and Borussia Dortmund have significantly hampered Frankfurt’s chances of European qualification. Currently eighth in the Bundesliga, Die Adler trail seventh-placed Freiburg by a single point, with Freiburg occupying the final Conference League qualification spot. Frankfurt’s hopes rest on winning their final match against Stuttgart and results elsewhere going their way.
Frankfurt must overcome a three-game winless streak at Deutsche Bank Park to secure maximum points on Saturday. They did, however, win their most recent home fixture against Stuttgart in March 2023, with Mario Götze scoring the only goal of the game. Nnamdi Collins, Jens Grahl, and Oscar Højlund are unavailable for the hosts through injury.
Stuttgart, meanwhile, travel to Frankfurt with Champions League qualification within reach. Sebastian Hoeneß’s side secured a crucial 3-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen last weekend, with goals from Ermedin Demirović, Maximilian Mittelstädt, and Deniz Undav. This result places them fourth, three points ahead of Leverkusen and with a significant goal difference advantage.
A win for Stuttgart on Saturday would guarantee a top-four finish, barring an extraordinary six-goal margin of victory for Hoffenheim. A draw would suffice if Hoffenheim fail to beat Borussia Mönchengladbach, while even a defeat could see Stuttgart qualify depending on Leverkusen’s result and goal difference. Finn Jeltsch has recovered from injury and is available for selection, but Atakan Karazor remains suspended. This outcome would see Stuttgart return to the Champions League for the second time in three seasons, and also prepare them for the DFB-Pokal final against Bayern Munich on May 23rd.
Stuttgart’s away form has been inconsistent, with one win, three draws, and two losses in their last six Bundesliga road trips, though they did win the reverse fixture against Frankfurt 3-2 in January. Riera’s potential departure would mark a swift end to his tenure at Frankfurt, while Stuttgart’s success underscores the impact of Hoeneß’s leadership.
