Freiburg's push for Champions League qualification continues on Friday when they welcome Werder Bremen to Europa-Park Stadion in their 23rd Bundesliga game of the season.
The home side come into the clash in fifth place with 36 points and are only one point from the league's fourth and final Champions League spot, whereas the Green-Whites are 10th with 30 points and were beaten 3-1 by Hoffenheim on February 16.
Match preview
© Imago
Freiburg scraped past relegation-threatened St Pauli 1-0 on February 15 thanks to Philipp Treu's 88th-minute own goal, but their performance was subpar given they only produced two shots from inside the penalty area, including a missed penalty in first-half stoppage time.
The hosts' victory was their third consecutive 1-0 win, and their three clean sheets in that time are as many as they kept in their prior 16.
Boss Julian Schuster's side are one of the more perplexing teams in the top flight given their record of 29 goals scored is the joint sixth-worst return in the Bundesliga, but despite having a goal difference of minus seven, they are only one point behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig.
It should be noted that Breisgau-Brasilianer are set to play Leipzig in the league on March 8, and the game will undoubtedly be crucial in the wider race for European football considering just four points separate ninth-placed Wolfsburg from fourth.
Freiburg's record at home is outstanding, with the club having triumphed in eight of their 10 games at Europa-Park Stadion, including four of their last five.
© Imago
Opponents Werder Bremen will be disappointed with their poor finishing against Hoffenheim given they only led courtesy of an own goal and failed to otherwise score despite creating two big chances and hitting the woodwork twice.
The visitors have now conceded 17 goals in their past seven outings, including three in each of their last two.
Manager Ole Werner will hope to avoid a repeat of his side's 1-0 defeat against Freiburg in the reverse fixture on October 5, a game in which they created just one big chance compared to the victors' three.
The Green-Whites' form has been poor in recent weeks considering they have won just one match in their last seven, losing four and drawing two in that period.
Werder Bremen are also winless in their past three outings on the road – succumbing to defeat in two – and worryingly conceded nine in that time while failing to score twice.
Team News
© Imago
Freiburg midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh will miss out on action until early March, as will centre-back Manuel Gulde due to a back injury.
Matthias Ginter and Philipp Lienhart have regularly featured in the heart of defence, and they may be protected on Friday by a double pivot consisting of Maximilian Eggestein and Nicolas Hofler.
In attack, wingers Ritsu Doan and Vincenzo Grifo can be expected to flank striker Lucas Holer.
As for Werder Bremen, striker Keke Topp's ankle injury is set to sideline him until late February, and his absence makes Andre Silva the most probable candidate to feature up front.
Elsewhere, Senne Lynen could play alongside Romano Schmid and Leonardo Bittencourt in a midfield three.
Amos Pieper, Niklas Stark and Anthony Jung are likely to start in a back three considering Milos Veljkovic was forced off due to a back issue against Hoffenheim, as well as that Marco Friedl is not scheduled to return until April.
Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Atubolu; Sildillia, Ginter, Lienhart, Gunter; Hofler, Eggestein; Doan, Rohl, Grifo; Holer
Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:
Zetterer; Pieper, Stark, Jung; Weiser, Lynen, Bittencourt, Schmid, Kohn; Ducksch, Silva
We say: Freiburg 1-0 Werder Bremen
Freiburg have been excellent defensively in recent weeks, and they will undoubtedly be hard to break down on Friday.
Werder Bremen come into the game in poor form while the hosts have been strong at home, and it would not be surprising if Freiburg won once again.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
