Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
On May 27, 2025, the Eintracht-Stadion in Braunschweig will host the second leg of the playoff final for a spot in next season's 2. Bundesliga. The local side, Eintracht Braunschweig, will face off against third-division contender Saarbrücken. The first leg ended with a confident 2-0 victory for the hosts, and now they must defend that advantage on home soil. Let's take a closer look at the goal-scoring prospects in this decisive clash.
Eintracht Braunschweig
Eintracht Braunschweig endured a rather disappointing campaign in the 2. Bundesliga. Their most significant problems came at the tail end of the season, as the team failed to win any of their last four matches. They started with two draws, followed by two painful defeats: first a 0-3 loss away at Elversberg, then a 1-4 home loss to Nuremberg, despite the visitors having nothing left to play for. As a result, Braunschweig dropped to 16th place with 35 points—just one point shy of safety. Now, the club must fight for its second-division status in the relegation playoffs.
In the first leg of the playoffs, Eintracht delivered a solid performance and, despite a tightly contested match, used their experience to secure a crucial victory. They found the net twice, kept a clean sheet, and now hold a comfortable advantage heading into the return leg.
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken, meanwhile, finished third in the 3. Liga after a strong campaign. The team trailed league winners Arminia Bielefeld—who impressed this year and reached the DFB-Pokal final—by just seven points. Saarbrücken earned most of their points at home, while struggling to impose themselves on the road, particularly towards the end of the season. In their last five outings, they managed only one win, with two draws and two defeats.
Interestingly, despite their overall away struggles, Saarbrücken have historically done well in Braunschweig. In their last five head-to-head meetings away to Eintracht, Saarbrücken have three wins, one draw, and just one defeat. The last encounter in Braunschweig was back in 2022, when both clubs were still in the third tier—Saarbrücken claimed a convincing 2-0 victory that day.
Key facts and head-to-head stats
- Eintracht Braunschweig have failed to win four of their last five matches.
- Three of Eintracht Braunschweig's last four games have featured over 2.5 goals.
- Five of Saarbrücken's last six matches have ended with over 2.5 goals.
- In three of Saarbrücken's last four games, both teams have scored.
- Braunschweig are unbeaten in four of their last five matches.
- The first leg between these teams ended 2-0 in Braunschweig's favor.
Probable lineups
- Eintracht Braunschweig: Hoffmann, Jeckel, Bicakcic, Koller, Conte, Krause, Ritmüller, Tempelmann, Gomez, Philipp, Polter.
- Saarbrücken: Menzel, Becker, Bickel, Sonnenberg, Farner, Sontheimer, Zaitz, Rezzuto, Rabihic, Krüger, Brünker.
Eintracht Braunschweig vs Saarbrücken match prediction
This promises to be a thrilling and high-scoring encounter, with so much at stake. Saarbrücken have no choice but to chase goals and overturn a two-goal deficit, while Eintracht Braunschweig will look to protect their advantage in front of their home fans. The visitors are compelled to attack and keep their promotion hopes alive, but Braunschweig are clinical on their own turf and always dangerous on the break. Given the recent attacking form of both sides and their tendency toward open, end-to-end football, expect a lively contest with plenty of chances. My pick for this match: both teams to score at odds of 1.73.
