Preview: Freiburg vs Bayer Leverkusen - prediction, team news, lineups

Freiburg will be looking to utilise their impeccable home record when they welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Europa-Park Stadion for a high-stakes Saturday afternoon fixture.

The Breisgau Brazilians are struggling to keep pace in the race for the top six, while Die Werkself have got a lot on their minds as they look to avoid any unnecessary injuries ahead of their huge Champions League clash with Arsenal on Wednesday.

Match preview

Freiburg’s hopes of finishing in the top six for the fourth time in five seasons are beginning to fade following a run of inconsistent results.

Julian Schuster’s side have alternated between victories and defeats across their previous six Bundesliga matches, which has caused them to drop 10 points behind sixth-placed Leverkusen.

Last weekend was particularly painful as Freiburg travelled to top-six rivals Eintracht Frankfurt and endured a comprehensive 2-0 defeat - a game which saw them land just two shots on target.

It seems that Freiburg are a totally different animal when it comes to games at home, having enjoyed a 15-match unbeaten run at the Europa-Park Stadion across all competitions.

Schuster’s men have won 12 of those 15 matches, while their last defeat on home soil came all the way back in August against Augsburg.

Should Freiburg maintain their impressive home record, they could give themselves a fighting chance of squeezing into the top six. However, a lot would depend on whether they could overturn their dreadful run on the road.

Bayer Leverkusen are preparing for a tough March, considering they will follow Saturday’s game with two Champions League encounters against Arsenal and a big Bundesliga clash with Bayern Munich.

The best way to tackle a packed schedule is one game at a time, and Leverkusen will be hoping to do just that when they travel to Freiburg this weekend.

Die Werkself enjoyed a solid start to the new month by picking up a 1-0 victory away at Hamburger SV on Wednesday night - a result which leaves them just three points adrift of the top four.

Kasper Hjulmand’s men are generally enjoying a good run of form, enduring just one defeat from their last 11 games across all competitions.

Nevertheless, registering back-to-back away victories in the Bundesliga would certainly give the Die Werkself plenty of confidence ahead of their massive home match with Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Freiburg Bundesliga form:

W L W L W L

Freiburg form (all competitions):

L W W L W L

Bayer Leverkusen Bundesliga form:

W D W L D W

Bayer Leverkusen form (all competitions):

W W L D D W

Team News

Freiburg are expected to be without defender Max Rosenfelder after the 23-year-old missed his last two games with a thigh problem.

Adding to their defensive woes, Lukas Kubler remains a doubt following his recovery from a hamstring injury, while Philipp Lienhart may require additional time to fully shake off his abdominal strain.

Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, who has missed the last three years with a knee injury, continues to build up his match fitness ahead of a potential return to action.

Bayer Leverkusen are battling with a much longer injury list as they prepare for a huge month in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

Brazilian defender Arthur only managed 45 minutes against Mainz last weekend before being forced off with an ankle injury.

Fellow defenders Loic Bade and Lucas Vazquez are carrying thigh and calf injuries, while goalkeeper Mark Flekken also remains on the sidelines with a knee problem.

Further up the pitch, Nathan Tella is nursing a foot issue, Eliesse Ben Seghir has an ankle problem, and striker Patrik Schick is a doubt after picking up a muscle injury.

Freiburg possible starting lineup:

Atubolu; Treu, Ginter, Ogbus, Gunter; Eggestein, Osterhage; Beste, Manzambi, Suzuki; Matanovic

Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:

Blaswich; Quansah, Andrich, Tapsoba; Poku, Fernandez, Garcia, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Maza; Kofane

We say: Freiburg 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen

Freiburg’s general results paint a picture of inconsistency, though their 15-match unbeaten run at home simply cannot be ignored.

Bayer Leverkusen have a huge set of games against Arsenal in the Champions League on the horizon, meaning their focus may not be entirely on Freiburg.

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