Eintracht Frankfurt commence their DFB-Pokal journey against fifth-tier debutants SC St. Tönis 1911/20, hoping to erase the memory of a disastrous final pre-season fixture. Adi Hütter’s side suffered a 7-0 defeat to Brentford in their last warm-up match, raising questions about their readiness ahead of the new campaign.
Frankfurt’s Reset Mission
Last season proved disappointing for the Eagles, who slipped to eighth place in the Bundesliga after finishing third the year prior. The club sold key attackers Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ekitike to Manchester City and Liverpool respectively, while defensive linchpin Nathaniel Brown joined Bayern München for €55 million following the World Cup.
Hütter, returning for a second spell in charge after previously managing the club between 2018 and 2021, had overseen a promising summer schedule until the Brentford collapse. Frankfurt had recorded six wins and one draw in earlier friendlies, including a victory over newly promoted Premier League side Hull City. However, the heavy loss at the Brentford Community Stadium leaves them vulnerable ahead of this theoretically straightforward cup tie.
The Underdog Story
SC St. Tönis qualified for the competition via the Niederrheinpokal, earning their place despite finishing as runners-up because winners MSV Duisburg had already secured entry through their 3. Liga standing. The club from the Viersen district, situated near the Dutch border, are competing in the DFB-Pokal for the first time in their history.
The minnows have already begun their 2026/27 Oberliga Niederrhein season with a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Spvg. Solingen-Wald 03, netting three times in the final minutes after trailing. This marks their first ever meeting with Bundesliga opposition.
Historical Context
The gulf in class appears substantial. St. Tönis have faced third-tier opposition on four occasions in their history, suffering heavy defeats in all four matches whilst conceding 23 goals and scoring just once. This summer alone, they lost 5-0 to Fortuna Düsseldorf.
By contrast, Frankfurt have dominated lower-league opponents in recent friendlies, defeating sixth-tier Rot-Weiss Ffm 7-0 and fifth-tier FC Gießen 7-1. The five-time Pokal champions were eliminated in the second round last season, losing on penalties to eventual runners-up Borussia Dortmund.
Team News
Frankfurt will be without defender Nnamdi Collins and recent midfield acquisition Noël Aséko, with both players sidelined through injury. No return dates have been confirmed for either player. SC St. Tönis report a clean bill of health with no suspensions or injuries affecting their squad selection.
Anything other than a comprehensive victory for the Bundesliga side would rank among the greatest shocks in the competition’s history. For Hütter’s men, the fixture offers an immediate opportunity to rebuild confidence before their league campaign begins.