Eintracht Frankfurt are in serious trouble. A 0-6 defeat at RB Leipzig on matchday five has exposed deep defensive problems and left the club in a precarious position, sitting 14th in the Bundesliga with just five points from five games and 16 goals conceded, the third-worst defensive record in the division.

The fallout from Leipzig has dominated the week. Trainer Adi Hütter publicly criticised captain Robin Koch after hauling him off at half-time, describing his defending as "not fit for the Bundesliga" and saying he expected more from a leader. Lothar Matthäus added his voice to the criticism, telling Sport Bild that Hütter's comments were "unfortunate" but that the performance in Leipzig warranted wholesale changes. Hütter has since confirmed Koch will keep the captaincy and will start against Köln, but the public nature of the dispute has added an uncomfortable subplot to an already difficult period. Sportvorstand Markus Krösche acknowledged the collective failure, while Jonathan Burkardt admitted the leadership group had "clearly failed again."

Hütter himself is under pressure, though he returned to Frankfurt this summer for a second spell and retains the backing of the club for now. He has called for patience amid a significant squad rebuild, but results must improve quickly. Frankfurt host FC Köln at Deutsche Bank Park on Friday evening, a match that offers a chance to arrest the slide before confidence erodes further.