Preview: Freiburg vs Werder Bremen - prediction, team news, lineups

Freiburg's battle for a European spot in the Bundesliga will begin at Europa Park Stadion on Sunday, when they welcome Werder Bremen to the arena.

The hosts were entered into the Conference League qualifiers after finishing seventh in 2025-26, whereas Bremen narrowly avoided the relegation spots with their 15th-placed finish.

Match preview

Freiburg have enjoyed sustained Bundesliga success in recent years, with the club securing a European spot in four of the last five campaigns.

While Breisgau-Brasilianer may have finished two places lower in 2025-26 than in their previous season, their placement can in part be explained by the fact they reached the final of the Europa League, and their efforts in that competition would no doubt have been physically draining.

Though Julian Schuster failed to claim the trophy, he will have another opportunity to secure silverware this term given his side successfully navigated the Conference League qualifiers, beating Motherwell 7-2 on aggregate.

The hosts won both legs against their Scottish opponents, and they also managed to beat Fortuna Dusseldorf 5-1 on August 23 in the first round of the DFB-Pokal.

Freiburg have now won five of their six most recent contests at home, and they are also unbeaten in six games at Europa Park Stadion, with the team scoring at least three goals on four occasions.

Werder Bremen may have achieved survival, but the fact they finished one place and three points above the relegation playoff spot will be alarming to fans.

The Green-Whites took just four points from their final seven top-flight games of 2025-26, so while Daniel Thioune was only appointed in February, it would not be surprising if he was under pressure in the opening weeks of the season.

Bremen have failed to win any of their last four opening league fixtures, drawing twice and losing twice, with the visitors suffering a 4-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in matchweek one last term.

Thioune's side lost both encounters with Freiburg in 2025-26, and another defeat on the weekend would be their eighth in nine meetings with their hosts.

Werder Bremen emerged as 3-0 winners against Luneburger Hansa in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on August 22, and that was just their third away victory in 16 attempts, a stretch in which they lost nine times.

Freiburg form (all competitions):

Werder Bremen form (all competitions):

Team News

Freiburg have fortunately come through the early stages of the season relatively unscathed, with their only confirmed absentee attacker Florent Muslija, who picked up a knee injury in April.

Expect to see Yuito Suzuki in an advanced role behind striker Igor Matanovic, while the selection of midfielders Maximilian Eggestein and Yannik Engelhardt is straightforward.

Max Rosenfelder and Matthias Ginter started in the heart of the team's back four against Motherwell in both legs, and their is no reason to doubt their inclusion on Sunday.

Werder Bremen centre-back Marco Friedl will have to lead his defence on the weekend, though he will struggle to contain Freiburg's attacks if midfielders Jens Stage and Senne Lynen are not at their best.

Number nine Niclas Fullkrug has joined the club on loan for the season, and having scored against Luneburger Hansa, he will be confident of finding the back of the net once again.

Freiburg possible starting lineup:

Backhaus; Treu, Ginter, Rosenfelder, Makengo; Eggestein, Engelhardt; Beste, Suzuki, Grifo; Matanovic

Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:

Hein; Schmetgens, Pieper, Friedl, Deman; Stage, Lynen, Reis; Njinmah, Fullkrug, Mbangula

We say: Freiburg 3-1 Werder Bremen

Freiburg have already played three competitive games this season, and their squad should be ready for the coming season.

Werder Bremen may still be building match sharpness, and given the hosts have been in fine goalscoring form, a win for Freiburg is a sensible prediction.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.