Following a three-week competitive hiatus, Freiburg and Union Berlin lock horns in their first Bundesliga fixture of 2024 at the Europa-Park Stadion on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams triumphed in recent friendlies ahead of their return to top-flight action, as Christian Streich's men thumped Eintracht Frankfurt 5-2, while their visitors ran out 2-0 winners over Arminia Bielefeld.
Match preview
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With three successive victories over Mainz 05, Wolfsburg and Koln under their belt last month, Freiburg were briefly walking in a winter wonderland before a trip to newly-promoted Heidenheim on December 20, where Streich's men were firm favourites to make it four wins on the spin.
Freiburg propelled themselves into the ascendancy twice thanks to a pair of Lucas Holer strikes, but Heidenheim bit back on both occasions through Eren Dinkci and Tim Kleindienst, before the unfortunate Matthias Ginter turned the ball into his own net in second-half injury time to gift the hosts a 3-2 victory.
Ginter's devastating own goal prevented Freiburg from entering 2024 in the top six of the Bundesliga table; Streich's men currently occupy eighth place with an inferior goal difference to fellow 24-point outfits Hoffenheim and Frankfurt, although their attacking supremacy did the talking against the latter on January 6.
Butting heads with Die Adler in a mid-season friendly, Freiburg taught their opponents a footballing lesson thanks to a brace from Roland Sallai alongside strikes from Vincenzo Grifo, Michael Gregoritsch and Merlin Rohl, and a repeat of such offensive excellence would not go amiss on Saturday.
Throughout the whole of 2023, only RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund managed to defeat Freiburg in Bundesliga action at the Europa-Park Stadion, and the hosts have taken 11 points from their last five home contests ahead of the visit of a relegation candidate.
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After suffering no fewer than a horrendous 12 consecutive defeats in all competitions during the earliest weeks of the season, things are looking a little rosier for Union Berlin under the wing of Nenad Bjelica, who masterminded just their fourth Bundesliga win of the season on December 20.
Taking on one of only three teams below them in the German top-flight standings, the former Champions League competitors drew first blood against Koln through Benedict Hollerbach before Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana came off the bench to put the icing on the cake.
Having also held Augsburg to a draw before defeating Borussia Monchengladbach in the lead-up to Christmas, Union Berlin begin the New Year with their heads above water in 15th place, although all of Koln, Mainz and SV Darmstadt 98 are only three points behind.
Bjelica's basement battlers have already had something to shout about in 2024 already, putting two goals past Arminia Bielefeld without reply in an exhibition battle - Brenden Aaronson and Janik Haberer were on target that day - but each of their last six Bundesliga away games has ended in defeat.
Furthermore, Union Berlin have failed to make the net bulge in four of their last five top-flight away contests and were thrashed 4-1 by Freiburg in this fixture last season, although that represents their only loss from their last six meetings with their top-half hosts.
Team News
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For as long as Japan are gunning for Asian Cup glory, Freiburg will be without fundamental attacker Ritsu Doan, whose spot should be filled by Frankfurt goalscorer Grifo for the next few weeks.
Midfield fulcrum Nicolas Hofler is another fresh absentee for Streich to contend with due to suspension, while Christian Gunter (arm), Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (ACL), Max Rosenfelder (tendon), Philipp Lienhart (groin) and Kenneth Schmidt (abdominal) are all sidelined too.
On a brighter note, striker Holer is expected to battle back from illness in time to lead the line this weekend, and Yannik Keitel should be promoted to the first XI in place of the banned Hofler.
As for Union Berlin, head coach Bjelica is also working around the absence of a solitary international representative in the shape of Tunisia's Aissa Laidouni, who is away on Africa Cup of Nations duty.
Haberer and Jerome Roussillon both left the field with knocks against Koln last month, but both men shook off their concerns to face Bielefeld, and the visitors have also welcomed Robin Gosens (knock) and Danilho Doekhi (foot) back to full training in recent days.
Rani Khedira (calf) should therefore be Union Berlin's only injury worry for Saturday's game, but Leonardo Bonucci has seemingly played his final game for the German upstarts; the Euro 2020 winner is on the cusp of a switch to Fenerbahce.
Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Atubolu; Sildillia, Ginter, Gulde, Kubler; Grifo, Keitel, Eggestein, Sallai; Holer, Rohl
Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Juranovic, Knoche, Leite, Roussillon; Haberer, Kral, Aaronson; Volland, Fofana, Hollerbach
We say: Freiburg 2-1 Union Berlin
Union Berlin may have ended the calendar year as they mean to go on, but Bjelica is yet to find the solution to his side's defensive and offensive woes on the road, which will likely cost them dear on Saturday.
Even with international and suspension absentees to contend with, Freiburg are seldom outfought in front of their own fans and should make a winning start to 2024, although it may not be a totally comfortable ride.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Ben Knapton
