Preview: Genk vs Freiburg - prediction, team news, lineups

Freiburg's Europa League quest continues on Thursday against hosts Genk, who will welcome the visitors to Cegeka Arena in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.

Freiburg finished seventh in the league phase and automatically advanced to the knockouts, whereas Genk finished in ninth and had to navigate a playoff tie against Dinamo Zagreb.

Match preview

The home side emerged as 6-4 winners on aggregate against Zagreb, but while they won the first leg 3-1 on February 19, they were taken to extra-time in the second leg before scoring twice to draw 3-3 on February 26.

Genk ended the league phase with 16 points, only one fewer than Thursday's opponents, and they head into the first leg having scored at least two goals in four consecutive European games.

The club have been porous at the back given they have conceded 10 goals in their past seven Europa League matches, as well as eight in their last four in all competitions.

Head coach Nicky Hayen oversaw three defeats within 90 minutes in those four fixtures, though his team did win six of their prior seven outings.

Blue-White have been exceptional on the road in Europe, emerging as victors in five of their six away matches in the competition this season while only losing once.

Freiburg ended the league phase having scored 10 goals - the worst offensive record in the top 13 - but their record of four goals conceded made them the competition's second best defensive team

Breisgau-Brasilianer are eighth in the Bundesliga following their 3-3 stalemate with Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, a game in which they twice surrendered one-goal leads.

That draw was the third time in four matches that they failed to win, as well as the third clash in four games that they conceded at least two goals in, with the visitors losing two of those contests.

Julian Schuster's side have struggled on the road, losing five, drawing one and winning just one of their seven most recent clashes on their travels.

It should be noted that the German side have failed to find the back of the net inside 90 minutes in their last five away fixtures, bad omen heading to Cegeka Arena.

Genk Europa League form:

Genk form (all competitions):

Freiburg Europa League form:

Freiburg form (all competitions):

Team News

Genk forwards Robin Mirisola and Daan Heymans featured last time out in Europe, with the latter finding the back of the net, so expect both to appear once again.

Midfielders Nikolas Sattlberger and Konstantinos Karetsas are likely to start ahead of a four-man defence marshalled by central defenders Mujaid Sadick and Matte Smets.

Freiburg only have two injury concerns heading into their clash with Genk, with defenders Max Rosenfelder and Lukas Kubler expected to miss out, though midfielder Maximilian Eggestein is suspended due to a red card.

Matthias Ginter and Bruno Ogbus will likely be stationed as centre-backs, while Philipp Treu and Christian Gunter are set to start as full-backs.

Patrick Osterhage is a candidate to come into the XI for Eggestein, and he could play alongside Johan Manzambi in a double pivot.

Talismanic forward Vincenzo Grifo is a certain inclusion on the left flank, and the winger will be asked to support striker Igor Matanovic.

Genk possible starting lineup:

Lawal; El Ouahdi, Sadick, Smets, Ditu; Sor, Sattlberger, Karetsas, Ito; Heymans, Mirisola

Freiburg possible starting lineup:

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

We say: Genk 2-1 Freiburg

Freiburg must improve their away performances if they hope to avoid a costly defeat, but they have struggled in front of goal for some time.

Genk have not been particularly strong at the back, but while they may fail to keep a clean sheet, they should look to take advantage of the vulnerable visitors.

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