Eintracht Frankfurt's early-season story has been one of frustrating inconsistency, and a 2-2 home draw with SC Freiburg on matchday four only reinforced that picture. After a rocky start that included a 3-3 draw at Union Berlin and a 1-4 defeat to Augsburg, Adolf Hütter's side finally found their footing with a 3-1 win at Mainz on matchday three. That result felt like a turning point. The draw with Freiburg, however, suggests the club has not yet found the stability needed to string results together.

One genuine bright spot has emerged from the uncertainty. Goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, who arrived at Frankfurt on loan after a complicated summer transfer saga, has been outstanding. His penalty save in Mainz, his sixth consecutive spot-kick stop in the Bundesliga, set a new record and earned him serious attention from national team coach Jürgen Klopp. Whether that translates into a first senior Germany call-up remains to be seen, but Atubolu has given Frankfurt fans a reason for real optimism.

Sitting 10th with five points from four matches, Frankfurt are in the middle of the table but only a point behind teams with European ambitions. The competitive context is tight. A friendly against Eintracht Braunschweig on 2 October offers a chance to build sharpness before the league resumes, with a trip to RB Leipzig on 10 October shaping up as a significant test of where this side truly stands.