Preview: Hamburger SV vs Freiburg - prediction, team news, lineups

Europa League finalists Freiburg return to Bundesliga action against Hamburger SV, who will welcome them to Volksparkstadion on Sunday.

Seventh-placed Freiburg have 44 points compared to 12th-placed Hamburger's tally of 34 points, and the away side currently occupy the Conference League spot with just two league fixtures remaining.

Match preview

The hosts are certain to play top-flight football next season given they are eight points ahead of the 16th-placed relegation playoff spot following their 2-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt on May 2.

Hamburger boss Merlin Polzin will be delighted by his side's performances this campaign, especially after they had spent the prior seven seasons battling to earn promotion from the second division.

The head coach was perhaps fortunate that the teams around the club also consistently dropped points, as Hamburger have only taken five points from the last 21 on offer.

HSV conceded 15 times in those seven matches, while they only found the back of the net on eight occasions, scoring exactly one goal four times.

Having lost 2-1 against Hoffenheim on April 25, Polzin's side are now without victory in five games at home, and a defeat on the weekend would be their fourth in six clashes at Volksparkstadion.

Freiburg are on the precipice of history following their 3-1 triumph against Braga in the Europa League on Thursday, a result that was enough to see them advance from their semi-final tie as 4-3 winners.

The visitors will now have to get the better of Aston Villa in the final on May 20, though their immediate focus will be on ending their two-game winless streak in the Bundesliga and avoiding a second loss in three domestic matches.

Breisgau-Brasilianer's displays in the final third have been concerning for some weeks, with the club having scored one or fewer goals in four of their past five contests in all competitions, while they conceded at least two goals three times in that stretch.

Qualifying for the Conference League through domestic placement is by no means guaranteeed considering eighth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt only trail them by one point, and Freiburg face a difficult test against RB Leipzig in matchweek 34.

Boss Julian Schuster has overseen three consecutive defeats on the road, though two of those losses came in Europe and the DFB-Pokal, and they have in fact won two of their three most recent away Bundesliga fixtures.

Should Freiburg claim three points on Sunday, it would be their third win in a row against their hosts, with the visitors winning 2-1 in the reverse fixture in January.

Hamburger SV Bundesliga form:

Freiburg Bundesliga form:

Freiburg form (all competitions):

Team News

Hamburger started a back three of Nicolas Capaldo, Warmed Omari and Jordan Torunarigha against Frankfurt, but the latter was taken off in the late stages of the match.

With safety already secured, there is no reason to think that Luka Vuskovic would not come into the starting lineup, and the centre-back is set to be protected by a midfield featuring Nicolai Remberg and Albert Sambi Lokonga.

Freiburg's Patrick Osterhage will not be able to play in a double pivot due to a knee issue, though Maximilian Eggestein and Johan Manzambi have frequently partnered each other this season.

Striker Matanovic is the team's top scorer in the Bundesliga this term (eight), and he may be supported by wide attackers Jan-Niklas Beste and Vincenzo Grifo.

In the backline, expect to see shot-stopper Noah Atubolu protected by central defenders Matthias Ginter and Ifechukwu Ogbus.

Hamburger SV possible starting lineup:

Fernandes; Capaldo, Vuskovic, Omari; Mikelbrencis, Remberg, Lokonga, Gronbaek; Vieira; Glatzel, Konigsdorffer

Freiburg possible starting lineup:

Atubolu; Kubler, Ginter, Ogbus, Gunter; Eggestein, Manzambi; Beste, Holer, Grifo; Matanovic

We say: Hamburger SV 1-1 Freiburg

Though Hamburger managed to win last time out, they have found it difficult to consistently pick up positive results.

Freiburg will still want to qualify for Europe through their domestic league, but after tiresome exploits in the Europa League on Thursday, it would not be surprising if they encountered difficulties on Sunday.

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