Europe-chasing Freiburg seek to edge closer to sixth in the Bundesliga when they host third-placed Stuttgart at the Europa Park Stadion on Saturday.
The Breisgau Brazilians are only three points shy of Eintracht Frankfurt occupying the final continental qualification slot, while their opponents have in-form Borussia Dortmund breathing down their neck heading into gameweek 20.
Match preview
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Despite their low-scoring nature, Freiburg remain in the hunt to end in the Europa Conference League qualification spot or potentially fifth place, currently occupied by RB Leipzig.
Catching Frankfurt is the Breisgau Brazilians' immediate ambition, with the clubs separated by three points in the table, even if the chasing side's negative goal difference puts them at a disadvantage.
Christian Streich's men have found the net just 25 times in 19 fixtures, the lowest of any side in the division's top half, while 31 goals conceded is worse than the six clubs above the BaWu outfit in the standings.
The mid-season hiatus came at the worst time for Freiburg, whose three wins and a defeat to close out 2023 has been followed by securing four points from an available nine.
That admittedly is not the worst return for the side keen to make the European places at the end of the season, but consistency in results is imperative to supplant Frankfurt — who have picked up 10 points from 12 — and possibly a Leipzig side that has been defeated in three consecutive matches.
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As for the visitors, who are still without Serhou Guirassy, title contention is out of reach, barring a significant dip in performances and results for the league's top two sides and an upswing for Sebastian Hoeness's men.
Stuttgart trail Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich by 12 and 10 points respectively, while the Swabians' results since the league's resumption have underwhelmed, underscored by defeats to Borussia Monchengladbach (3-1) and Bochum (1-0) that have seen Hoeness's side fall further away from competing for the title.
Those results and Dortmund's outstanding start to 2024 mean the club in third could be leapfrogged by BVB this weekend if they drop points at Freiburg and Edin Terzic's men claim maximum points at Heidenheim.
That could happen before Stuttgart take to the field on Saturday, with BVB's Friday night fixture allowing them to pile pressure on Hoeness's side.
While the Swabians' patchy form could see them lose third spot, fifth-placed Leipzig are four points adrift, thus guaranteeing that they hold on to a Champions League qualification place for another week at the very least.
Team News
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Ritsu Doan is away on Asian Cup duty with Japan, with the Samurai Blue's win over Bahrain on Wednesday keeping the wide attacker away for a while longer.
Roland Sallai is doubtful through illness, while Christian Gunter (arm), Philipp Lienhart (groin), Kenneth Schmidt (abdominal), Max Rosenfelder (tendon) and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (ACL) are all in the wars and unexpected to feature this weekend.
Guirassy and Silas Katompa Mvumpa are away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Guinea and DR Congo, respectively; Woo-yeong Jeong (South Korea) and Hiroki Ito (Japan) are equally unavailable for Stuttgart as they are on international duty.
Lilian Egloff, Dan-Axel Zagadou and Nikolas Nartey are missing because of respective knee injuries, with the latter expected to return this month.
Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Atubolu; Sildillia, Ginter, Gulde, Makengo; Eggestein, Hofler; Rohl, Grifo, Weisshaupt; Gregoritsch
Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Vagnoman, Anton, Rouault, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Stiller; Leweling, Fuhrich, Millot; Undav
We say: Freiburg 2-1 Stuttgart
Stuttgart have lost three on the trot on their travels, and that could become four losses in succession against a Freiburg team that are undefeated at the Europa-Park Stadion since mid-September, with that 4-2 loss to Dortmund still the club's only home Bundesliga reverse this term.
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