Eintracht Frankfurt are struggling to find consistency this season, and a 2-2 draw at Paderborn on Matchday 9 summed up their frustrations. The side went down to ten men after Elias Baum's second yellow card and conceded a late equaliser, leaving them 10th in the Bundesliga table with 12 points from nine games. It is the kind of result that defines an inconsistent campaign rather than a bad one, but the gap between Frankfurt's ceiling and their floor remains too wide for comfort.

Amid the turbulence, 16-year-old Niko Ilicevic has given fans something to be excited about. The winger made his debut in the 3-1 win over Hamburg the previous week, becoming the joint-youngest player in Bundesliga history, and followed it with a disciplined second appearance at Paderborn. Coach Adi Hütter has been careful to manage expectations, warning that Ilicevic may drop into the U21 side if match minutes dry up, but Sky pundit Didi Hamann called him a generational talent. A potential record as the youngest scorer in the division's history could follow against Hoffenheim on 21 November.

Off the pitch, the club faces uncertainty over Jean Matteo Bahoya's loan at Leeds United. The 21-year-old has played just 11 minutes in the Premier League, putting a 30-million-euro purchase obligation at serious risk. Frankfurt also face a contract negotiation with striker Younes Ebnoutalib, one of the Bundesliga's top performers this season, following the departure of sporting director Markus Krösche.