Do two surprise teams neutralise each other?
In the beginning, both 1. FC Union Berlin and SC Freiburg were among the surprise teams of the 2021/22 season. Both teams made a dream start in the Bundesliga and bit their way into the top flight. Recently, however, things have not gone too well for either the Köpenickers or the Black Forest side. The Eisernen have lost two of their last three league games. The SCF even have four defeats from their last five games.
Despite this, the current sixth in the table still receives the fifth in this Wednesday evening match. So whoever takes the three points will be looking straight back up the table. In the run-up to the match between Union Berlin and Freiburg, the odds are slightly in favour of the home side.
Union have only lost one of their last six competitive games against the team from Breisgau. However, the SCF are strong away from home. The Black Forest side just recorded their highest ever Bundesliga away win in Gladbach (6:0). The Freiburg side have already picked up 14 points from eight league away games, which equals their personal Bundesliga club record.
It is therefore complicated to make a bet on the outcome of the match between Union Berlin and Freiburg. More sustainable, meanwhile, seems to be betting on a maximum of one team scoring.
Union Berlin – Statistics & current form
In their third year in the Bundesliga, 1. FC Union Berlin once again had nothing whatsoever to do with relegation. Instead, the team from Köpenick got off to an excellent start and, despite the extra workload of participating in the group stage of the Conference League, were on course for another year in Europe with only two defeats in their first twelve league games.
Recently, however, the Ironmen lost two of their three league games and also got into a bit of trouble with an unfortunate exit in the Conference League preliminary round.
Only one loss in last 24 league home games
The last English week in particular was probably the darkest week of the 2021/22 season so far. First, the capital failed to punch their ticket to the knockout phase of the Conference League with a win at home against Slavia Prague. Then there was also a 1-0 defeat against Greuther Fürth, who were bottom of the league.
At least at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, however, everything is still going well for the club from the east of Berlin, which has lost only one of its last 24 home games in the Bundesliga (13 wins, ten draws). In their last home game, they even beat runners-up RB Leipzig 2-1.
Only lost one of the last six games against Freiburg
Again, the Köpenickers are favourites going into matchday 16, where a home win could see them leapfrog the visitors from Breisgau in the table.
After all, the Capitals have only lost one of their last six competitive games against the Black Forest side (four wins, one draw). Meanwhile, with Trimmel and Khedira potentially returning to the starting eleven after their injuries, defensive stability should also increase again.
Predicted line-up of Union Berlin:
Luthe – Baumgartl – Knoche – Jaeckel – Gießelmann – Khedira – Trimmel – Prömel – Haraguchi – Kruse – Awoniyi
Last matches played by Union Berlin:
1st Bundesliga
12/12 2021 – Greuther Fürth 1 – 0 Union Berlin
Europa Conference League Grp. E
12/09 2021 – Union Berlin 1 – 1 Sl. Prague
1st Bundesliga
12/03 2021 – Union Berlin 2 – 1 RB Leipzig
11/28 2021 – Eintracht Frankfurt 2 – 1 Union Berlin
European Conference League Grp. E
11/25 2021 – Maccabi Haifa 0 – 1 Union Berlin
Freiburg – Statistics & current form
SC Freiburg made an absolute dream start in the Bundesliga and were still in a starting position for the Champions League up to and including matchday 14. Even after the recent lack of results, the Black Forest side still enters the English week before the short winter break in fifth place in the table.
Yet the SCF could still present its long-time coach Christian Streich with the 100th Bundesliga win of his coaching career this year. A mark that has so far only been broken by the legendary Volker Finke, who managed 104 victories in 340 Bundesliga games as Freiburg coach.
Lost four of the last five league games
After three defeats in a row, Freiburg thought that the 6-0 away win at Borussia Mönchengladbach had ended their little dry spell, but they were promptly dealt another blow last Saturday in a late 2-1 home defeat to TSG Hoffenheim.
In fact, the Black Forest side have lost four of their last five league games and are still reeling from a strong start to the season that saw them remain unbeaten for ten match days.
The best defence in the Bundesliga
Nevertheless, betting on a point for Union Berlin against Freiburg is by no means out of the question. After all, the SCF are strong away from home. The Baden-Württemberger have never before picked up 14 points from their first eight Bundesliga away games.
Added to this is the extremely stable defence. With only 15 goals conceded from the first 15 league games, Streich’s eleven is the best defence in the entire Bundesliga – despite conceding two goals in each of their most recent four defeats.
Predicted Freiburg line-up:
Flekken – Günter – Gulde – Lienhart – Kübler – Höfler – Eggestein – Grifo – Sallai – Jeong – Höler
Last matches played by Freiburg:
1st Bundesliga
12/11 2021 – SC Freiburg 1 – 2 Hoffenheim
12/05 2021 – Borussia Mönchengladbach 0 – 6 SC Freiburg
11/27 2021 – Vfl Bochum 2 – 1 SC Freiburg
11/21 2021 – SC Freiburg 0 – 2 Eintracht Frankfurt
Club friendlies
11/11 2021 – Karlsruher SC 1 – 2 SC Freiburg
Union Berlin – Freiburg Direct comparison / H2H-balance
Head to head: 4 – 2 – 4
There have been a total of ten meetings between the two teams and the record is even with four wins each. Most recently, however, the clash has been clearly in the hands of the Eisernen, who have lost just one of their last six games against the SCF (four wins, one draw).
Union Berlin – Freiburg Tip
For Union Berlin against Freiburg, the prediction has to take into account that both opponents have recently lost some of the momentum from their strong start to the season. Accordingly, both teams must return to their defensive stability, with which they were still so sure of scoring in the first third of the season.
With the still best defence in the league playing host to the fifth best defence in the Bundesliga, no goal festival is to be expected in a match with an unclear outcome.
