Eintracht Frankfurt has struggled defensively since Rasmus Kristensen suffered a thigh injury in September against Kasper Hjulmand’s Bayer Leverkusen. His absence has been costly, with the team conceding 16 goals in six Bundesliga matches — the most of any club in Germany’s top flight.

Across all competitions, Frankfurt has allowed 17 goals while Kristensen has been sidelined. Coach Dino Toppmöller is eager for the former AS Roma defender to be fit for Sunday’s clash against Freiburg, hoping he can bring stability to a defense that has looked increasingly fragile.

Kristensen’s return could also boost former Freiburg teammate Ritsu Doan. “The two of them clicked quickly during preseason,” Toppmöller told Kicker.de. “They are technically strong, smart players with excellent instincts. In the first few weeks, Ritsu played very well with this combination, but you could see something was missing without Rasmus. I think Ritsu is very happy to have him back.”

In Kristensen’s absence, Nnamdi Collins has filled the role but has struggled to make the same impact. “Nnamdi is a more straightforward player,” Toppmöller explained. “He needs more space ahead of him and relies on power and dynamism to drive forward, which is a different style from Rasmus.”

Frankfurt will face Freiburg at the Europa-Park Stadion on Sunday at 15:30 CET, hoping Kristensen’s return can finally shore up their leaky defense.