Freiburg will hope to boost their chances of Champions League qualification with victory against visitors Union Berlin on Sunday in the Bundesliga at Europa-Park Stadion.
The sixth-placed hosts have 42 points and are only three points from fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, who occupy the final Champions League spot, while their opponents are in 13th place with 27 points following their 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich on March 15.
Match preview
Freiburg were held to a 2-2 stalemate by Mainz 05 on March 15 and fans might have expected better considering their opponents were reduced to 10 men in the 43rd minute when they were only winning 1-0.
To Breisgau-Brasilianer’s credit, they did create more than three xG, but it is concerning that their goals last weekend were the only goals they scored in their past three fixtures.
Manager Julian Schuster‘s side occupy the Bundesliga’s Conference League qualification spot, and even if his team fail to qualify for the Champions League, 2024-25 has been a season of improvement given their points tally of 42 has already equalled their return from 2023-24.
Freiburg are unbeaten in seven games – keeping six clean sheets – and though they did draw their last three they achieved victory in their prior four.
The hosts have also only experienced defeat in one of their past 10 outings, winning on seven occasions.
Union Berlin restricted Bayern to just six shots from inside the box, just two fewer than they managed themselves.
Die Eisernen have conceded 11 goals in their last five outings while scoring four times, and their record of 23 goals scored in the league is the second worst return in the top flight.
Boss Steffen Baumgart‘s team drew 0-0 with Freiburg on November 8 and they are unbeaten in their last four games against their hosts, winning two of those encounters.
Union come into the clash in mixed form having won two, drawn one and lost three of their past six matches.
The visitors have triumphed in two of their three most recent away outings, but they were defeated in each of their previous seven games on the road.
Team News
Freiburg boast a relatively healthy squad, though they will be without midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and attacker Merlin Rohl until late and mid-April respectively.
Maximilian Eggestein and Patrick Osterhage have started together in midfield in their side’s last five games, and they are likely to partner each other again on Sunday.
Given Rohl’s absence, perhaps Schuster will select a forward line consisting of Ritsu Doan, Eren Dinkci, Vincenzo Grifo and Lucas Holer.
Opponents Union also have a largely available squad, but they will have to find ways of coping without midfielder Aljoscha Kemlein, who is set to miss the rest of the season due to a foot injury.
Janik Haberer could be in line for a start in a double pivot alongside regular Rani Khedira, and the duo may be stationed in front of centre-backs Danilho Doekhi, Leopold Querfeld and Diogo Leite.
Wing-back Robert Skov is also sidelined and his absence from the starting XI may lead to Christopher Trimmel and Josip Juranovic playing on Sunday.
Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Atubolu; Sildillia, Ginter, Lienhart, Gunter; Eggestein, Osterhage; Doan, Dinkci, Grifo; Holer
Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite; Trimmel, Haberer, Khedira, Juranovic; Jeong, Schafer; Ilic
We say: Freiburg 1-0 Union Berlin
Union have struggled in front of goal and while they have improved their away form of late, their overall record on the road is still concerning.
Freiburg are unlikely to suffer defeat on the weekend given they have been excellent in the past weeks, and they may keep another clean sheet.
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