Kovac relieved to be back at home after Dortmund’s long away trips

Niko Kovac is relieved to be “finally playing at home again” after three consecutive away games for Borussia Dortmund.

BVB have had their fair share of travel since returning from the international break, facing Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League before going to Union Berlin last time out in the Bundesliga.

And ahead of their home clash with Eintracht Frankfurt this weekend, Dortmund completed a long trip to Azerbaijan as they defeated Sabah in the Champions League.

Kovac is delighted to be back at home, but is wary of the task ahead in Frankfurt on Saturday.

Kovac lost his last Bundesliga meeting with Eintracht coach Adi Hutter 5-1 in November 2019 while in charge of Bayern Munich, a result that led to his dismissal.

Kovac has only conceded more goals in a single Bundesliga match as a manager once: in May 2023, his Wolfsburg side lost 6-0 to BVB.

“We’re finally playing at home again. It’s good to play in front of our own fans. I hope they’ll cheer us on to victory,” said Kovac.

“They’d [Eintracht] certainly like to have one or two more points, but their play has been inconsistent in recent games. A draw, a loss, a win – they’ve had it all.

“It’s a team that will finish in the top third of the table at the end of the season. I’m convinced of that.”

Home sweet home.  https://t.co/X3QHSD2NLD

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) October 23, 2026

Eintracht are 11th in the Bundesliga, following up a 6-0 defeat to RB Leipzig with a 1-0 win over Koln.

Frankfurt have fielded the youngest players in the Bundesliga this season, with an average age of 24 years and 176 days.

Dortmund have fielded the fourth-youngest side (25y 72d) and are the only team to have used seven different teenagers.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Borussia Dortmund – Waldemar Anton

Waldemar Anton has made 54 clearances in the Bundesliga this season, while Eintracht’s Robin Koch has made 55.

Only two players in the league have recorded more clearances than the pair (Lukas Pinckert 57, Nikola Katic 75).

Eintracht Frankfurt – Younes Ebnoutalib

Younes Ebnoutalib has scored half of Eintracht’s league goals this season (five of 10), the joint-highest share of any player for their team in the Bundesliga, level with Werder Bremen’s Niclas Fullkrug (50%).

Ebnoutalib’s only Bundesliga goal prior to this season came on his debut against Dortmund in January 2026.

MATCH PREDICTION: BORUSSIA DORTMUND WIN

Dortmund have won more Bundesliga games against Eintracht than against any other opponent, both in total (52) and at home (39).

BVB have won 14 of their last 15 Bundesliga home games against Frankfurt, with the only exception being a 2-1 defeat in April 2021 during Hutter’s first spell in charge of the Eagles.

Eintracht have conceded at least three goals in each of their last six Bundesliga top matches (25 in total), the second-longest such streak since the top match format was introduced in the 2009-10 season, behind only Schalke’s run of eight consecutive games between 2020 and 2021.

Dortmund have drawn their last two Bundesliga matches and could now go three league games without a win for the first time under Kovac; they last went three games without a win in January 2025.

Following their 1-0 win against Koln, Eintracht could win consecutive Bundesliga matches for the first time since November 2025. They last won back-to-back league games while keeping a clean sheet in November and December 2024.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Borussia Dortmund – 60.8%

Draw – 19.8%

Eintracht Frankfurt – 19.4%