The 3rd round of the 2025/26 Bundesliga kicks off on Friday, September 12, with one of the most exciting clashes of the weekend. At the BayArena, Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt face off, two teams that in recent years have consistently delivered high-scoring and entertaining matches. The hosts are going through a delicate period: the post-Xabi Alonso era has already led to the quick dismissal of Erik ten Hag after just two matches. The club has now chosen Kasper Hjulmand, tasked with giving the team an immediate boost and guiding the Werkself to their first league victory after one draw and one defeat in the opening two games. Eintracht Frankfurt, on the other hand, have started the season in the best possible way: they are one of the three teams still with a perfect record, along with Bayern Munich and FC Köln, and want to take advantage of Leverkusen’s uncertain moment to claim a third straight win and stay at the top end of the table. A match that promises intensity and spectacle, both for the strong motivation of the two sides and for their offensive, proactive playing styles.

Bayer Leverkusen's recent form and key stats

A shocking start to the Bundesliga season for Bayer Leverkusen. In the first two rounds, they suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim and then a thrilling 3-3 away draw at Werder Bremen. Results that convinced the board to already sack Erik ten Hag, who had only been appointed in July as Xabi Alonso’s successor.

The only positive note so far came in the DFB Pokal, with a 4-0 win over Großaspach on August 15. Still, far too little for a club with high ambitions, as the table currently sees the Werkself sitting only 12th with a single point.

Their Achilles’ heel is the defensive phase, conceding an average of 2.5 goals per game, while in attack they have at least been consistent, scoring 2 goals per match. The standout player so far has been Patrick Schick, already on 3 goals in his first 3 appearances this season.

Eintracht Frankfurt's recent form and key stats

Eintracht Frankfurt, in contrast, have started their season brilliantly. After a 5-0 win in the DFB Pokal against FV Engers, the Eagles confirmed their excellent form in the Bundesliga, winning 4-1 away at Werder Bremen in their opener and repeating that success with a convincing 3-1 away victory at Hoffenheim.

With six points from two matches, Dino Toppmöller’s side remain perfect, second only to Bayern Munich on goal difference. Their attack has been firing: an average of 3.5 goals per match in the league, with Uzun, Bahoya, and Doan all netting twice already. Defensively, there is still room for improvement, as they have conceded at least one goal in each league match so far.

Bayer Leverkusen vs Eintracht Frankfurt prediction and tactical overview

Recent clashes between Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt have been consistently high-scoring: the last six encounters have all seen over two total goals, and in five of them both teams have scored. Their most recent meeting, last March, ended with a convincing 4-1 win for Leverkusen away at Frankfurt.

The hosts will approach the BayArena clash with an attacking mindset, eager to bounce back from their tough start. For Kasper Hjulmand, it will be his first home match in charge, and while Leverkusen’s offensive quality is not in question, it’s unlikely he has solved their defensive frailties in just a few days.

Eintracht Frankfurt arrive aware of their opponent’s defensive weaknesses and will try to exploit them from the start with high pressing. However, the Eagles have also shown vulnerabilities when defending transitions, and against an attack like Leverkusen’s it will be difficult for Zetterer to keep a clean sheet.

All signs point to a match where goals should not be missing, with both teams having a good chance to find the net.

• Bayer Leverkusen vs Eintracht Frankfurt prediction by BetMines: both teams to score with a 64% probability
  
  
• Bayer Leverkusen vs Eintracht Frankfurt prediction by BetMines: at least one team fails to score with a 36% probability

Probable lineups Bayer Leverkusen vs Eintracht Frankfurt

BAYER LEVERKUSEN (3-4-2-1): Flekken; Quansah, Tapsoba, Tape; Tella, Garcia, Andrich, Grimaldo; Kofane, Tillman; Schick. Coach: Kasper Hjulmand

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (4-2-3-1): Zetterer; Kristensen, Collins, Koch, Theate; Larsson, Chaibi; Doan, Uzun, Bahoya; Wahi. Coach: Dino Toppmöller