Freiburg vs. Bochum: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Although Schlotterbeck is the joint-top scoring defender this season with four goals, his primary job is to keep them out. The 22-year-old has been the foundation on which Freiburg - who boast the third meanest defence in the division - have built their incredible season. Christian Streich's men sit fifth with five games to go, only three points outside the top four and four clear of the teams directly below them. Their dreams of a sensational UEFA Champions League qualification were kept alive thanks (once again) to the greatest substitute in Bundesliga history. Nils Petersen scored for the 33rd time coming off the bench to earn Freiburg a 2-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt last time out. The man himself said he can't explain how he does it. The question for Streich is now whether he sticks with the tried-and-trusted method off the bench or opts to deploy Freiburg's all-time leading scorer from the off.

Bochum are also enjoying a remarkable season on the back of promotion from Bundesliga 2 last year. They currently sit 12th, 10 points clear of relegation danger and perhaps now thinking ahead to a second campaign in the top flight. They claimed a rare away win on their most recent travels, beating Hoffenheim 2-1 thanks to an inspired display from Takuma Asano. And Bochum generally had the better of Bayer Leverkusen last time out but had to settle for a goalless draw - their sixth clean sheet of the season. Maxim Leitsch was caught out when VfL suffered an extra-time defeat to Freiburg in the DFB Cup quarter-finals in March, so he will feel extra motivated alongside Armel Bella-Kotchap in central defence. Kostas Stafylidis has reinvented himself as a holding midfielder next to captain Anthony Losilla, while Simon Zoller made his comeback last matchday after over 200 days out with a cruciate ligament tear. He's unlikely to start ahead of Sebastian Polter but should get some game time.

Match stats

Schlotterbeck is fifth in the division for challenges won (64.9 per cent). Teammate Lucas Höler leads the way for the outright number won (390).

Mark Flekken has saved a league-best 78 per cent of shots this season.

Freiburg are the Bundesliga's most dangerous team from set pieces, both in terms of the number of goals (21) and proportion of their total (46 per cent). Seventeen of the dead balls have been delivered by Vincenzo Grifo.

Manuel Riemann (99) is two saves behind Flekken (101) and boasts a save rate of 73 per cent. He's yet to concede from three penalties faced in the Bundesliga, but has also missed one himself.

Promoted Bochum have 36 points on the board after 29 matchdays. No team has ever been relegated with such a total at this stage.

Bochum have won their last three league meetings with Freiburg, but were beaten in extra-time in this season's DFB Cup quarter-final.

Probable line-ups

Freiburg: Flekken - Kübler, Lienhart, N. Schlotterbeck, Günter (c) - Eggestein, Höfler - Sallai, Höler, Grifo - Petersen

Out: Keitel (broken toe), Schade (abdominals)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Christian Streich

Bochum: Riemann - Gamboa, Bella-Kotchap, Leitsch, Soares - Losilla (c), Stafylidis - Asano, Rexhbecaj, Holtmann - Polter

Out: -

Doubtful: Antwi-Adjei (groin), Locadia (hip)

Coach: Thomas Reis

About the clubs VfL Bochum 1848

Vonovia Ruhrstadion

SC Freiburg

Europa-Park Stadion

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