Eintracht Frankfurt kick off their DFB-Pokal campaign with a round of 32 tie away to second-division side Hamburger SV on Tuesday (27 October, 6pm local time). In the league, Frankfurt currently sit 14th with eight points from seven games, having recorded two wins, two draws and three losses.
The Eagles currently sit 14th in the Bundesliga table with eight points from seven matches. Their recent form of two wins, a draw and two losses from the last five has been inconsistent, marked by a heavy 6-0 loss in Leipzig and a narrow 1-0 win over Köln. Top scorer Younes Ebnoutalib, who has five goals this season, will be central to their attacking plans.
Opponent with mixed results
Hamburger SV are themselves coming off a 1-0 home defeat to SC Paderborn, but had previously impressed with wins over Stuttgart and Hoffenheim. The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw in December 2025. For Frankfurt, the cup represents a chance to temporarily forget their disappointing league record of ten goals scored and 17 conceded and to build momentum for the important Bundesliga home fixture against the same opponent on Sunday 1 November. That league match is the next task after the cup tie.
The team needs its individual quality, like that of Ebnoutalib, to shine through to put pressure on a defensively vulnerable second-tier side. A look at the current standings shows the importance of league points, but the cup now offers a welcome distraction.
The winner of the match advances to the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals. For Eintracht Frankfurt, the task in Hamburg on Tuesday evening is to break a run of two consecutive competitive defeats and secure progression with a focused performance.
