Will soccer god Alex Meier lead Eintracht out of the crisis?
Just before the important Champions League match in Azerbaijan, SGE sporting director Markus Krösche has made some far-reaching decisions. Coach Dino Toppmöller and three of his assistants have been released with immediate effect. Until a new head coach is found, U21 coach Dennis Schmitt and U19 coach Alex Meier will take over on an interim basis. The second name in particular is naturally causing pure ecstasy among all Eintracht fans.
The “football god” beloved by fans on the Main is back and, with his aura, is expected to ensure that the Eagles maintain their slim chance of advancing in the premier class. The prerequisite for this is that the Bundesliga club’s away win prediction comes true on Wednesday evening when Qarabag FK and Frankfurt kick off early at 6:45 p.m.
Admittedly, from the Hessians’ point of view, in order to still make it into the top 24, they not only need three points in Baku, but also a home win against Tottenham next week and possibly some help from other venues. However, the undertaking is by no means hopeless, especially given that the SGE pros have been deprived of a major alibi with the dismissal of the coaching team and now have to take responsibility themselves.
Although Eintracht are still waiting for their first win in 2026 and are currently eight places behind their upcoming opponents in the Champions League rankings, a successful prediction for the Black, Red and Whites definitely seems possible ahead of the clash between Qarabag FK and Frankfurt.
Nevertheless, there is no reason to underestimate the home side, who have performed surprisingly well so far. Qarabag Agdam currently occupies 22nd place in the standings and, as things stand, would qualify for the playoffs. However, because the Azerbaijanis still have to travel to Liverpool next week, coach Qurban Qurbanov’s players are also aware of the immense importance of this direct duel.
Qarabag FK vs. Frankfurt Prediction AI
It has rarely been easier to draw a betting recommendation from an artificial intelligence assessment. The xG values calculated by the AI (1.15 vs. 1.94) for this match alone point to Eintracht being the clear favorites. The resulting SGE win probability of 56.4% also impressively explains why the Qarabag FK vs. Frankfurt AI prediction hides extremely attractive value in the visitors’ three points.
Qarabag FK – Statistics & current form
For Qarabag Agdam, it is a success that, with two match days remaining in the eight-match league phase, they still have a chance of advancing to the knockout stage. Better still, the Azerbaijani underdogs even hold all the cards in their own hands. It is quite possible that a win on Wednesday evening will be enough to secure a place in the top 24.
Qarabag FK is actually in the winter break
However, the task at home against Eintracht Frankfurt presents many challenges. First and foremost, it should be mentioned that the Blue and Whites have not played a competitive match for exactly one month and, due to the long winter break in their home country, where they are currently only second in the table, they can only prepare for the finish in the Champions League with friendly matches. Although all three test matches against clubs from Croatia, Uzbekistan, and Poland were won with a total of eleven (!) goals scored, the lack of competitive toughness and match practice is the first argument that drives me to bet on the Germans between Qarabag FK and Frankfurt.
Apart from that, Qurbanov’s team’s form in Europe’s most important club competition has clearly been on the decline recently. Six of their seven points were earned in the first two games. In the last four games, the underdogs have only managed to pick up one point in a 2-2 draw with Chelsea. Their last game in mid-December ended in a 4-2 home defeat to Ajax Amsterdam, who had not earned any points up to that point.
A total of 23 goals were scored in six CL matches by the 22nd-placed team. That’s an average of almost four goals per game, which supports my assumption that a prediction of over 2.5 goals would be a good bet ahead of the Qarabag FK vs. Frankfurt match. Including friendly matches, at least three goals were scored in eight of Agdam’s last nine games. In the Champions League, the over 2.5 (including qualification) would have been true in seven out of ten cases.
Frankfurt – Statistics & current form
Dino Toppmöller coached Eintracht Frankfurt for two and a half years. The former professional led the Hessians to third place in the Bundesliga in 2024/25, qualifying them for the UEFA Champions League and filling the big shoes of Oliver Glasner. Ultimately, however, the 45-year-old fell victim to the many goals conceded and the weak start to the 2026 soccer year.
Nine goals conceded in three games and two points from the matches against Dortmund, Stuttgart, and Werder Bremen meant that Toppmöller was relieved of his duties on Sunday. Dennis Schmitt and Alex Meier will prepare the team for the upcoming matches on an interim basis.
Will the change of coach at Eintracht Frankfurt unleash new energy?
If media reports are to be believed, the players recently defied the coaching team’s instructions and sought their own way out of the misery. If that is indeed true, I believe there is a good chance that the sports director’s radical decision will have a positive effect on Eintracht’s performance in the short term.
In any case, the situation ahead of the away game in Baku is clear: the Hessians must win to remain in the top 24. Even a draw will not be enough. Despite four defeats in the last five Champions League games and a winless streak in Champions League away games that has now lasted over three years, I believe in the quality of the Bundesliga club and am therefore focusing on the Qarabag FK vs. Frankfurt betting odds for a three-point win for the visitors.
Qarabag FK – Frankfurt Head-to-head record
For the first time ever, a club from Azerbaijan will face a representative from the German Bundesliga in the UEFA Champions League. Nevertheless, there have already been two direct duels between these clubs. These date back to the 2013/14 Europa League playoffs, in which Frankfurt prevailed in both legs. SGE won 2-0 in Azerbaijan and 2-1 at home. Neither result would be unwelcome on the Main in Wednesday evening’s decisive CL match.
Qarabag FK – Frankfurt Tip
Eintracht Frankfurt are still in danger of being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League group stage. The Hessians have only collected four points so far. They therefore definitely need two wins on the last two matchdays to still have a chance of reaching the top 24, presumably with some help. Above all, Wednesday evening’s away game against direct rivals Qarabag FK is of paramount importance. With Dennis Schmitt and Alex Meier on the sidelines, the team is hoping to finally secure its first win of the 2026 calendar year. It will be exciting to see what adjustments the young coaching team makes and how they intend to stabilize the vulnerable defense in the short term.
On the one hand, I expect a fairly high-scoring match. After all, a whopping 23 goals have been scored in Qarabag’s six games so far, and Eintracht have scored 24. The starting position also shows that both teams have to play for the win! In my opinion, however, the Qarabag FK vs. Frankfurt tip on the Asian handicap (-0.25) in favor of the Bundesliga team is even more interesting. Personally, I think a bet on an away win is absolutely feasible, so I think the 1.81 odds from bet365 are worth a stake of five units.
