Borussia Dortmund went into Saturday's Bundesliga fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt sitting second in the table with 14 points from six matches, according to BBC's match data. Frankfurt arrived in 13th place on eight points from the same number of games. The BBC published its statistics and head-to-head preview on Saturday, 24 October 2026.
Dortmund's record of four wins and two draws leaves them level on points with leaders Bayern Munich, who have played six games and also hold 14 points. Bayern's superior goal difference of 17 keeps them top, while Dortmund's stands at seven after scoring 11 and conceding four.
Frankfurt's campaign has been uneven. Two wins, two draws and two defeats have produced eight points, with ten goals scored and 16 conceded, leaving a goal difference of minus six.
Why it matters
The gap between the clubs in the standings frames the match as a test of contrasting form. Dortmund have not lost in the league this season, a run reflected in their last six results: four victories followed by two draws. Frankfurt's sequence over the same span reads draw, loss, win, draw, loss, win.
A win for Dortmund would keep them level with Bayern at the top, at least until the champions' own result is known. Defeat or a draw would allow the chasing pack to close in. Freiburg, third on 13 points, and Bayer Leverkusen, fourth on the same total, are both within striking distance of the top two.
For Frankfurt, three points would lift them clear of the lower half of the table and ease early-season pressure. They currently sit 13th, with Köln and Paderborn immediately above them on eight points each and Hoffenheim and Stuttgart below on six.
How the two sides line up
BBC's team sheets show Niko Kovac in charge of Dortmund and Adi Hütter managing Frankfurt.
Dortmund start with Gregor Kobel in goal behind a back three of Waldemar Anton, Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini. Daniel Svensson, Felix Nmecha, Marcel Sabitzer and Julian Ryerson make up the midfield, with Joey Veerman and Fábio Silva supporting striker Serhou Guirassy.
Among Dortmund's substitutes are Maximilian Beier, Jobe Bellingham, Carney Chukwuemeka, Salih Özcan's replacement options in midfield and forward areas, and goalkeeper Alexander Meyer.
Frankfurt begin with Noah Atubolu in goal. Elias Baum, Loïc Brassier, Robin Koch and Nnamdi Collins form the defence. Farès Chaïbi, Raphael Onyedika and Nnamdi Aséko line up in midfield, with Ritsu Doan and strikers Jonathan Burkardt and Youssef Ebnoutalib completing the attacking unit.
Frankfurt's bench includes Mario Götze, Ansgar Knauff, Can Uzun and Oscar Højlund, giving Hütter experienced and youthful options to call on.
The wider table picture
The standings BBC published on Saturday show Bayern Munich ahead on goal difference alone, with Dortmund second and Freiburg third on 13 points. Leverkusen are fourth on 13, RB Leipzig fifth on 12 and Werder Bremen sixth on 12.
At the other end, Borussia Mönchengladbach are 18th with three points from seven games, Union Berlin are 17th on six and Schalke 04 occupy the relegation play-off spot in 16th, also on six points.
The table also notes that the top four positions carry UEFA Champions League qualification, fifth brings Europa League football and sixth a Conference League qualifying place.
Dortmund's unbeaten start has come without the free-scoring numbers of Bayern, who have 22 goals to Dortmund's 11. Their defensive record of four conceded is among the tightest in the division, a foundation Kovac will want to preserve against a Frankfurt side that has found the net ten times but leaked 16.
Frankfurt's minus-six goal difference is the weakest of any side currently on eight points, underlining the balance Hütter must strike between the attacking threat offered by Burkardt, Ebnoutalib and Doan and a defence that has conceded at a rate of more than two goals per game.
Both clubs have played six league matches, one fewer than several sides around them, meaning the table could shift quickly once fixtures level out.
The next round of Bundesliga games will show whether Dortmund can sustain their challenge at the summit and whether Frankfurt can build momentum away from the lower reaches.
