Borussia Dortmund will host SC Freiburg at Signal Iduna Park on Sunday, looking to bounce back from the disappointing defeats against Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim.
Borussia Dortmund have lost their last two matches in all competitions, and they will be desperate to get back to winning ways in the game vs SC Freiburg this weekend. The Black and Yellows are second in the league, and they will look to finish the season strongly.
Bayern Munich have already won the Bundesliga title, and Dortmund have little to play for. However, Niko Kovac’s men will look to give the fans something to cheer about in the remaining matches of the season. On the other hand, SC Freiburg are coming into this game on the back of a defeat against VfB Stuttgart.
The Breisgau Brazilians had won four consecutive matches across all competitions prior to the defeat, and they will be desperate to get back to winning ways. Both teams will be up for this one, and this could be a cracking contest. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Borussia Dortmund
The home team will be without Emre Can, Niklas Sule, Felix Nmecha and Karim Adeyemi this weekend. Borussia Dortmund will shape up in a 3-4-1-2 formation vs SC Freiburg, with Gregor Kobel in goal.
In the back three, Waldemar Anton will start alongside Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini. Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson will start as the wing-backs. They will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch.
As for the midfield unit, Marcel Sabitzer will line up alongside Jobe Bellingham in the double pivot, aiming to add control and defensive cover from the middle of the park. Julian Brandt will reprise the attacking midfield role and look to create opportunities for his teammates in the final third. Finally, Fabio Silva will lead the line for Borussia Dortmund alongside Serhou Guirassy.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Kobel; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Sabitzer, Bellingham, Svensson, Brandt; Guirassy, Silva
SC Freiburg
Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and Florent Muslija are ruled out for the season with cruciate ligament damage. Other than that, Patrick Osterhage and Max Rosenfelder are recovering from knee and hamstring issues. SC Freiburg will start in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Noah Atubolu in goal.
Lukas Kubler and Philipp Treu will start as the full-backs here. They will look to protect the central defenders and keep things tight at the back. Matthias Ginter and Anthony Jung will form the central defensive partnership.
As for the midfield unit, Johan Manzambi and Maximilian Eggestein will look to protect the back four and win the ball back for their side. Jan-Niklas Beste and Derry Scherhant will start on the flanks.
They will look to protect the full-backs and create opportunities for their teammates during transitions. Yuito Suzuki will operate as the attacking midfielder here, and he will look to link the midfield with the attack. Finally, Lucas Holer will spearhead the SC Freiburg attack vs Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Atubolu; Kubler, Ginter, Jung, Treu; Manzambi, Eggestein; Beste, Suzuki, Scherhant; Holer
Key Stats
- Borussia Dortmund have won at both half-time and full-time in 13 of their last 15 home matches against SC Freiburg across all competitions.
- Borussia Dortmund have won their last seven home matches against SC Freiburg in all competitions.
- Borussia Dortmund have scored at least three goals in their last five home matches against Freiburg in all competitions.
- SC Freiburg have failed to win three of their last six Bundesliga matches.
Player to Watch
Julian Brandt
The Borussia Dortmund playmaker is our key player to watch out for. He will look to help create opportunities for his teammates in the final third and score goals as well. Brandt has picked up 11 goals this season, and he has produced four assists along the way. Freiburg could look to sit deep and frustrate the opposition. Dortmund will need someone to open up the defence with his vision and passing. Brandt could be a game-changer for his team here.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 2-1 SC Freiburg
Both teams are in similar form, and this is likely to be a cracking contest. Neither team will want to end up on the losing side. Borussia Dortmund are the better team on paper, and they will look to put on a strong showing at home.
Both teams could get on the scoresheet here, but the home side has more quality in the attacking unit and should be able to pick up a narrow victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Niko Kovac and his charges.
