Preview: Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Arminia Bielefeld - prediction, team news, lineups

Both teams will be searching for their first victory of 2022 when Eintracht Frankfurt play host to Arminia Bielefeld on Friday.

The home side are battling for European qualification and enter the contest in eighth place, while Die Arminen are embroiled in a relegation scrap.

Match preview

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After squandering a two-goal to lose 3-2 against Borussia Dortmund, Die Adler had the opportunity to bounce back last weekend when they faced an Augsburg side who are battling it out near the bottom of the Bundesliga table.

It was a contest that started positively for Eintracht Frankfurt, with Daichi Kamada grabbing the opener for the visitors, but Michael Gregoritsch restored parity before the break and the encounter finished level with neither side able to find a winner in the second half.

Oliver Glasner's men will turn their attention to a meeting with another side battling relegation and after avoiding defeat in six of their last seven competitive home games, Die Adler will be quietly confident of picking up a positive result on Friday.

Despite avoiding defeat in the last nine competitive meetings between the two sides, Eintracht Frankfurt failed to beat Die Arminen in October, with Patrick Wimmer striking late to cancel out Jens Petter Hauge's opener.

Friday's hosts will be looking to prevent another contest from ending level, with their failure to convert home draws into wins hindering their league progress - only Arminia Bielefeld have more Bundesliga home draws to their name than Die Adler this season.

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As for the visitors, they have begun 2022 with consecutive 2-2 draws, with the latest point resulting from a home encounter against Greuther Furth.

With last weekend's opponents sitting rock bottom of the Bundesliga, Arminia Bielefeld would have been disappointed to take just a point from the encounter, although they were seven minutes from falling to a home defeat.

Masaya Okugawa gave Die Arminen an early lead, but goals from Jamie Leweling and Havard Nielsen turned the game on its head before Gonzalo Castro rescued Arminia Bielefeld a point, striking in the 83rd minute.

Castro's late equaliser extended his side's current unbeaten run to four games and what will please Frank Kramer is that Die Arminen have scored two goals in each of those contests.

With four of their eight away goals coming from their last two Bundesliga away trips, Friday's visitors have shown that they are improving on the road.

Team News

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The hosts are without the services of Aymen Barkok, who is with the Morocco national team at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Christopher Lenz and Hauge are not fit enough to feature despite returning to training this week.

Meanwhile, Martin Hinteregger is rated doubtful after picking up a knock.

Kevin Trapp, Filip Kostic and Danny da Costa have all returned to training and could be included in the squad for Friday's contest.

Arminia Bielefeld's only doubt is Nathan de Medina, who could miss out due to illness.

After scoring last weekend, Castro could come into the lineup to make his first start for his new club.

Okugawa will be one of the visitors' major goal threats, with the 25-year-old looking to score for the fifth game in a row.

Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:
Trapp; Hasebe, Ndicka, Tuta; Chandler, Rode, Sow, Kostic; Kamada, Lindstrom, Borre

Arminia Bielefeld possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Brunner, Pieper, Nilsson, Andrade; Schopf, Castro, Okugawa; Wimmer, Kruger, Lasme

We say: Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Arminia Bielefeld

Arminia Bielefeld are current enjoying a fine spell of form, and with Eintracht Frankfurt making a habit of drawing at home, we think that the visitors will frustrate the hosts to ensure that the spoils are shared.

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