Preview: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Freiburg - prediction, team news, lineups

Leverkusen claimed their first win of the season last time out, while Freiburg could move top of the table if they can find a fourth win in five matches.

Match preview

Having lost each of their opening three Bundesliga games of the new campaign, as well as being dumped out of the DFB-Pokal by lowly-ranked SV Elversberg, Leverkusen were relieved to finally put some points on the board with a 3-0 victory away to Mainz 05 last weekend.

Lukas Hradecky kept the scoreline level early in the encounter with a fabulous save to deny Angelo Fulgini from close range, with Exequiel Palacios making the most of his goalkeeper's heroics by opening the scoring with a deflected effort from range before the half-hour mark.

Mainz were perhaps guilty of pushing too hard for an instant response, leaving too many gaps in behind their defence, which Jeremie Frimpong twice capitalised on with a rare brace. Moussa Diaby showed an excellent turn of pace before unselfishly squaring the ball for his teammate to tap into an empty net, before Frimpong ran through himself and rounded Robin Zentner in the mould of a striker.

Die Werkself displayed their desperation for all three points in the form of two red cards in the latter stages of the match, with Piero Hincapie and Mitchel Bakker both given their marching orders for second bookable offences, but they survived an onslaught from their opponents to keep a clean sheet against all the odds.

With a trip to Club Brugge in the Champions League ahead of them in midweek, Gerardo Seoane will hope his side can build on their much-needed victory, but it will not be easy against an in-form Freiburg team.

Indeed, Christian Streich's side recorded a third victory in their opening four Bundesliga matches for the first time in the club's history to move up to third in the Bundesliga table ahead of the weekend's action.

Freiburg were not particularly impressive during their 1-0 win against VfL Bochum, with both teams hitting the woodwork on several occasions in a game which somehow only saw one goal scored from 44 shots overall.

The two pivotal moments of the match centred around the opposing goalkeepers, with Mark Flekken brilliantly denying Takuma Asano from a tight angle in a relatively quiet first-half, before the game exploded into life after Vincenzo Grifo scored at the third time of asking having seen his penalty stopped by Manuel Riemann.

Riemann was at fault for conceding the penalty in the first place, though, with the monsoon-like conditions contributing to him dropping a high cross, before he visibly pulled Roland Sallai's shorts to deny the forward a clear strike at goal.

Despite Gerrit Holtmann twice striking the woodwork, Streich's side held on for another win, which they will hope to add to in Leverkusen ahead of beginning their Europa League campaign against Qarabag FK on Thursday.

Bayer Leverkusen Bundesliga form:

Bayer Leverkusen form (all competitions):

Freiburg Bundesliga form:

Freiburg form (all competitions):

Team News

Leverkusen's win in Mainz came at a cost, with Hincapie and Bakker both set to serve a one-match suspension against Freiburg having been sent off during the 3-0 win.

Odilon Kossounou and Daley Sinkgraven are set to deputise for the duo, but it would be something of a surprise if Seoane elects to make any other changes having finally stopped his side's losing streak.

Karim Bellarabi (knee), Florian Wirtz (ACL), Andrey Lunev (thigh) and Amine Adli (collarbone) all remain sidelined through injury.

Freiburg, meanwhile, should name an unchanged XI from last weekend's narrow win against Bochum.

Kiliann Sildillia has impressed at right-back in the absence of Lukas Kubler, who continues to miss out with a thigh injury, while Yannik Keitel should fill in for Maximilian Eggestein once again while the former Werder Bremen midfielder recovers from a fractured hand.

Kimberley Ezekwem (muscle), Lucas Holer (foot) and Kevin Schade (abdominal) are all unlikely to make the trip to the BayArena.

Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:

Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba; Frimpong, Andrich, Palacios, Demirbay, Sinkgraven; Diaby, Schick

Freiburg possible starting lineup:

Flekken; Sildillia, Ginter, Lienhart, Günter; Keitel, Höfler; Sallai, Doan, Grifo; Gregoritsch

We say: Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Freiburg

We expect to see goals at both ends in Leverkusen on Saturday, with a draw the most likely outcome.

The hosts should have gained confidence from finally ending their losing run last weekend, while Freiburg may be content with adding another point to the board having made an excellent start to the season.

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