First competitive match at Europa-Park Stadion
360 Bundesliga games have been played by SC Freiburg in the venerable Dreisamstadion and 149 victories have been celebrated there. It has been the fist-pump for many close seasons in which the Breisgauer have kept the relegation battle under wraps thanks to their home strength. Sportclub do not have such problems at the moment and the Dreisamstadion has also had its day.
On Saturday, the first competitive match will take place in the brand new Europa-Park Stadium. There, Christian Streich wants to shape a new era with his team. The stadium was officially inaugurated during the international break with a test match against FC St. Pauli. Now comes the first Bundesliga match against RB Leipzig, in which the home side are slight underdogs.
The question is, however, why the bookmakers see it that way. In the Bundesliga table, the Breisgauer are in fourth place and have an impressive 15 points after seven games. They are only one point behind the leaders Bayern Munich. Therefore, the prediction between Freiburg and RB Leipzig may well go in the direction of the Sportclub.
The Bullen have just ten points, which can almost be considered a false start for a team of this quality. The Saxons are only now slowly gaining momentum, but things rarely went well for RasenBallsport in Breisgau in particular.
Freiburg – Statistics & current form
Every new season, you can take your hat off to the way Christian Streich leads the Freiburg team and is successful to boot. The Breisgau side have made the best start to a season in their Bundesliga history and, admittedly still at this early stage of the season, are in the mix with the big boys.
Home strong Breisgauer
The Freiburgers are the only team still unbeaten in the Bundesliga. This is mainly due to the fact that the Sportclub, together with Mainz 05, has the best defence in the top flight. Only five goals conceded are an expression of this team’s outstanding stability. This is also an indication that you can probably neglect the odds on an away win between Freiburg and RB Leipzig.
In total, Freiburg are unbeaten in seven home games. The last home defeat, however, was against the Bullen in March. Before the international break, Freiburg were guests in the capital and won 2-1 against Hertha at the Olympiastadion. Philipp Lienhart provided the lead and after the equaliser it was once again wild card Nils Petersen who scored the winner.
In terms of personnel, things are also looking very good for Sportclub, although it remains to be seen in what condition the national players have returned from their selection teams. This is especially true for Woo-Yeong Jeong, who was away in Asia with South Korea. The only real absentee, however, is Jonathan Schmid, who is in rehabilitation training after quarantine.
Predicted line-up of Freiburg:
Flekken – Gulde, Lienhart, N. Schlotterbeck – Kübler, Eggestein, Höfler, Günter – Sallai, Grifo – Höler – Coach: Streich
Last matches played by Freiburg:
RB Leipzig – Statistics & current form
Jesse Marsch is still in the finding phase in Leipzig. The new coach has not yet arrived in Leipzig, although his results at the Red Bull Arena are impressive. Away from home, almost nothing is going right and the Bulls are only just turning the corner after the worst start in their young Bundesliga history.
Home strong Breisgauer
In the top flight, RasenBallsport have now gone six away games without a win. This season, if we add the 3-6 defeat in Manchester in the top flight, there has been only one point in four competitive games. So there is a huge lack of success away from home, which is why we are holding back on predicting a win for the visitors in the match between Freiburg and RB Leipzig.
Nevertheless, the Saxons are unbeaten in the Bundesliga for three games. Most recently, there was a commanding 3-0 home win against VfL Bochum after Andre Silva and Christopher Nkunku scored a brace. However, an away game in Freiburg is of a very different calibre to a match at home against the Revierklub, especially as RB have scored 14 of their 15 goals of the season at home.
Jesse Marsch will possibly start the same formation as in the home win against Bochum. Willi Orban or Andre Silva, however, are always candidates for the starting eleven. Leipzig will have to do without four players on Saturday. Brian Brobbey, Dani Olmo, Marcel Halstenberg and Marcelo Saracchi are not fit for action.
Predicted line-up of RB Leipzig:
Gulacsi – Klostermann, Simakan, Gvardiol – Adams, Haidara, Kampl, Angelino – Nkunku, Forsberg – Poulsen – Coach: Marsch
Last matches played by RB Leipzig:
Freiburg – RB Leipzig Direct comparison / H2H-Balance
Twelve times the paths of SC Freiburg and RB Leipzig have crossed to date. Two of these matches still result from the second Bundesliga. The direct comparison is in favour of the Bullen with 6:4 victories and two draws. The Saxons have not suffered more away defeats against any other club in the top flight.
All four of Freiburg’s victories came at home. However, the Breisgau side suffered two significant setbacks last season. The first leg in Leipzig went 3-0 to the Bullen and in the second leg RB got the upper hand with the same result. Christopher Nkunku, Alexander Sörloth and Emil Forsberg scored at the Dreisamstadion.
Freiburg – RB Leipzig Tip
The Sportclub has got off to an excellent start and, in theory, could even top the table this weekend. After all, the Breisgauers are a home power and expect RB Leipzig, a team that has not suffered more away defeats in any other Bundesliga city.
In addition, the Saxons are generally not in a good mood away from home at the moment. The Bullen have not won in six away games in the top flight. The last away win was at the Dreisamstadion, of all places, which is no longer the home of the Sportclub. All in all, there is still more to be said for placing a bet on a home win between Freiburg and RB Leipzig.
However, Leipzig is a team where anything is always possible. The Saxons have enormous individual quality and if they manage to bring this to the pitch, then something is always possible.
