Freiburg will be looking to build on an impressive draw with RB Leipzig and heap more pressure on Werder Bremen when the two teams clash at Schwarzwald-Stadion on Saturday afternoon.
Christian Streich’s side come into this game in seventh place after holding title chasing Leipzig to a 1-1 draw at the Red Bull Arena in the previous round.
Despite only registering two shots on target and seeing just 39% possession, Freiburg snatched a point to move above Schalke in the table and to within two points of sixth-place Wolfsburg.
Freiburg started the 2019/20 campaign in spectacular fashion. Two defeats in their opening 12 games saw them battling in the top four, but their performances have dipped since then.
However, a game against an out-of-sorts Werder Bremen outfit provides Freiburg with the perfect opportunity to get three points on the board and keep their dreams of Europa League qualification alive.
Werder have only managed to win four Bundesliga games all season and have lost 12 of their last 15 in the league – leaving them second-bottom and nine points from certain safety.
Not only are the River Islanders the division’s second-lowest scoring side (28), but they also have the worst defensive record in the league (59). These leaves the team with a woeful goal difference of –31.
Bremen were thrashed 4-1 by Bayer Leverkusen last weekend. Theodor Gebre Selassie got on the scoresheet for the home side, but Weder were extremely poor.
Werder have lacked a cutting edge in attack all season, while their defensive efforts have been nothing short of shambolic. It’s no wonder they find themselves in a relegation battle.
Not the return we wanted.Not the result we needed.Not the conditions we are used to.But thank you for your support from around the globe #Werder fans. Next weekend we must and will do better 🙏💚 pic.twitter.com/52alnmj0py— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) May 18, 2020
Not the return we wanted.Not the result we needed.Not the conditions we are used to.But thank you for your support from around the globe #Werder fans. Next weekend we must and will do better 🙏💚 pic.twitter.com/52alnmj0py
In the reverse fixture back in November, a last-gasp Nils Petersen equaliser earned Freiburg a dramatic 2-2 draw at Weserstadion. Overall, Freiburg have only lost once in their previous five meetings with Werder.
Freiburg have one injury doubt heading into this game, as it’s unclear whether right-back Lukas Kubler will be fit. Meanwhile, forward duo Niclas Fullkrug and Claudio Pizarro will both be missing for Werder.
Bremen are supposed to be fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table. But if their below-par performance against Leverkusen is anything to go by, then the River Islanders are in serious trouble.
Buoyed by their draw with Leipzig, Freiburg will come into this game full of confidence and are expected to claim a comfortable victory.
Given Werder’s poor defensive record, Forebet predicts that Freiburg will score over 2.5 goals on their way to victory.