Opponent analysis: SC Freiburg vs. RB Leipzig on 6th May 2023

It’s crunch time in the Bundesliga!

RBL, who are fifth in the table ahead of matchday 31, will travel to fourth-place SC Freiburg on Saturday (15:30 CEST). RBL are returning to the Europapark-Stadion with a good feeling after the dominant display in the cup.

However, it’s also clear that the players will have their work cut out for them.

SC Freiburg are having a strong season and will have added motivation following their cup defeat for this match, which is important in securing one of the four Champions League places. Here is a full analysis of the opposition in our Opponent Analysis.

SC Freiburg’s recent form

SC Freiburg are enjoying an excellent season and are a direct competitor of RBL in the fight for the Champions League spots. It is already virtually guaranteed that SCF will qualify for Europe for the second season in a row for the first time in their club history.

In the cup, Freiburg suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to RB Leipzig, so it will be an interesting encounter when the two clubs meet again four days later.

Key facts:

SC Freiburg…

have only lost one of their last 11 Bundesliga games (1-0 against Bayern).
have not conceded more than one goal in their last 11 Bundesliga games.
most recently lost 5-1 at home in the DFB-Pokal against RB Leipzig.

Team news

Key players

Matthias Ginter was one of Freiburg’s marquee signings last summer. The Germany international returned to his hometown club after his contract at Borussia Mönchengladbach ended and has been a solid presence in defence. He is the only player to have featured for the full 90 minutes in every Bundesliga game this season.
Vincenzo Grifo is one of the most dangerous set-piece takers in the league, with a strong right foot. His performances have seen him earn a call up to the Italian national team during his time at SC.
Freiburg also secured the services of Michael Gregoritsch last summer. The striker joined from FC Augsburg, and has scored 10 Bundesliga goals this season. He bagged a brace in their most recent match against Schalke. The Austrian also scored Freiburg’s only goal in the cup semi-final, so RBL’s defence must be wary of him.

Injuries:

Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, who joined from FC St. Pauli over the summer, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering an ACL tear during training earlier this year. Other than the attacker, Streich has a full squad to choose from for Saturday’s meeting.

Head coach

Christian Streich extended his contract with SC Freiburg once again in March. The 57-year-old has been at the club for 11 years and four months and is catching up to Volker Finke, who spent 16 uninterrupted years at SC.

Streich is known for being calm and well-spoken during his press conferences, and a vocal presence on the sidelines. Under his charge, Freiburg have established themselves in the top half of the table. The team has constantly been improving, so it’s no wonder why the Breisgau side are in the running for a Champions League place this season.

Streich has already led SCF to Europe twice: In the 2013/14 season, the club finished third after the group stage, and in the current season, they were beaten by Juventus in the Europa League round of 16 (0-1, 0-2).

RBL’s record vs. SC Freiburg

Head-to-head:

8 wins, 4 draws, 4 losses – 31:18 goals
5 home wins, 2 away wins, 1 win on neutral ground (DFB-Pokal final)
RBL are are unbeaten against Freiburg for 8 competitive games in a row.
Top goalscorer: Timo Werner (7 Tore)
Biggest wins:
- 5-1 on 2nd May 2023 (Goals: 2x Dominik Szoboszlai, Dani Olmo, Christopher Nkunku andBenny Henrichs)
- 4-0 on 15th April 2017 (Goals: Yussuf Poulsen, Timo Werner, Naby Keïta, Diego Demme)

Last five meetings

2nd May 2023 | DFB-Pokal, semi-final: SC Freiburg – RB Leipzig 1-5
9th November 2022 | Bundesliga, Matchday 14: RB Leipzig – SC Freiburg 3-1
21st May 2022 | DFB-Pokal, final: SC Freiburg – RB Leipzig 2-4 on pens. (1-1 a.e.t.)
5th March 2022 | Bundesliga, Matchday 25: RB Leipzig – SC Freiburg 1-1
16th October 2021 | Bundesliga, Matchday 8: SC Freiburg – RB Leipzig 1-1