Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Preview: Union Berlin vs. Freiburg - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 11 May 2023, 12:28
Fourth-placed Union Berlin and fifth-placed Freiburg are locked on 56 points ahead of their crucial Bundesliga showdown at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei on Saturday.

Both sides have recorded 16 wins, eight draws and seven losses this season, so an extra three points for either team would be huge as the race for Champions League football intensifies.

Match preview

Union Berlin's optimistic title dreams may be dead and buried, but the plucky overachievers remain in control of their top-four destiny as they bid to secure Champions League football for the very first time.

Given that Union only gained promotion to the Bundesliga in 2020, it was always going to be difficult for Urs Fischer's side to keep pace with the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, but they can still finish the season on a high.

Indeed, the Irons Ones find themselves just one point behind third-placed RB Leipzig with three games remaining, while the eight-point gap between them and sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen means that a top-five finish is all but assured.

Although Union have struggled for consistency in recent weeks - recording one win, two draws and two losses in their last five league outings - Fischer's men will be confident of bouncing back from last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Augsburg.

Not only have Union avoided defeat on home soil in the Bundesliga this term, but they have also conceded just nine goals at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, helping them achieve the best defensive record in the division.

That said, Freiburg have enjoyed plenty of success on the road of late, chalking up a five-match unbeaten streak away from home thanks to a run of three wins and two draws, including back-to-back victories over Werder Bremen and FC Koln last month.

It is also worth noting that Breisgau-Brasilianer notched three successive wins before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to top-four rivals RB Leipzig last time out, so that they will back themselves to return to winning ways this weekend.

When you look at the bigger picture, Freiburg have lost just two of their previous 12 Bundesliga encounters, picking up six victories and four draws to remain in the hunt for Champions League football.

Like Union Berlin, Freiburg have enjoyed a hugely positive season, with head coach Christian Streich - who has managed the club since 2011 - proving that you can achieve success by trusting the process.

Freiburg last qualified for Europe back in 2013-14, finishing third in their Europa League group that season, but Breisgau-Brasilianer will aim to go one better this term as they bid to secure a Champions League spot.

Union Berlin Bundesliga form:

W

L

D

W

D

L

Union Berlin form (all competitions):

L

L

D

W

D

L

Freiburg Bundesliga form:

D

L

W

W

W

L

Freiburg form (all competitions):

L

W

W

W

L

L

Team News

Urs Fischer can take confidence from the fact that Union Berlin boast an injury-free squad ahead of the run-in, giving the manager multiple options in every department.

Having racked up 10 goals and eight assists this term, Sheraldo Becker will continue in attack alongside Kevin Behrens, who has chipped in with nine goals and three assists across all competitions.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Danilho Doekhi, Robin Knoche and Paul Jaeckel will continue in the backline, with Rani Khedira anchoring the midfield.

As for Freiburg, they will be without midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh for the remainder of the campaign as he continues to recover from an ACL injury, while Philipp Lienhart is a doubt for Saturday's clash due to illness.

There are also question marks over the availability of key winger Ritsu Doan, who missed last weekend's defeat to RB Leipzig after notching seven goals and seven assists this season.

With Doan likely to miss Saturday's showdown, Noah Weisshaupt and Vincenzo Grifo are expected to support the attacking duo of Michael Gregoritsch and Lucas Holer.

Union Berlin possible starting lineup:

Ronnow; Jaeckel, Knoche, Doekhi; Juranovic, Laidouni, Khedira, Haberer, Roussillon; Behrens, Becker

Freiburg possible starting lineup:

Flekken; Kubler, Ginter, Gulde, Gunter; Eggestein, Hofler, Weisshaupt, Grifo; Gregoritsch, Holer

We say: Union Berlin 1-1 Freiburg

Union Berlin and Freiburg look set to play out a cagey draw in the German capital as both sides aim to avoid defeat and maintain their top-four bids.

Although Union have stuttered in recent weeks, Fischer's men are expected to extend their unbeaten run on home soil to 19 matches with a hard-fought draw on Saturday.

Previews by email

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City midfielder Rodri has seemingly opened the door to a future move to Spanish giants Real Madrid. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Premier League clubs are not renowned for their patience when firing managers, and we've already had our first sacking of 2024/25. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Returning to the Roma hotseat for a third spell in charge, Claudio Ranieri will lead the Giallorossi into Sunday's Serie A showdown with Napoli. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has conceded that Ben White is likely to be out for months rather than weeks after undergoing an operation on his knee. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal expert Charles Watts believes that Gunners new boy Mikel Merino has been "unfairly judged" on some of his performances so far in the 2024-25 campaign. 22 November 2024 talksport.com What would you do if you first big break in football came with your fierce rivals? 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk One of the most unlikely matchups we could have anticipated heading into the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs will transpire on Sunday as Orlando City face Atlanta United in the Eastern Conference semi-finals at Inter & Co Stadium. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Lionel Messi's former Barcelona teammate Javier Mascherano is set to be the new head coach of Inter Miami, according to reports. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both aiming to kick-start their Premier League campaigns after stalling before the international break, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace convene at Villa Park on Saturday. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sean Dyche will look to extend his 100% record over Thomas Frank as Everton manager, when Brentford visit Goodison Park in the Premier League on Saturday. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fourth meets fifth in Saturday's fascinating Premier League battle at the Emirates, as Arsenal welcome Nottingham Forest to the English capital. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking a fifth win from six Premier League home games against Brighton & Hove Albion, Bournemouth host the Seagulls in Saturday's top-flight affair at the Vitality Stadium. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City supporters were hoping that November's international break would provide some of the club's senior stars with an opportunity to step up their recovery from injury. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nice, aiming to maintain their current eight-game unbeaten streak in the league, are set to host Strasbourg at the STADIUM on Sunday night for matchday 12 of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Chelsea expect to have Cole Palmer fit for this weekend's Premier League encounter against Leicester City. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Pep Guardiola reminded doubters of his commitment to the club by referencing his relegation claim of six months ago. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed defender Ben White will be sidelined for months after undergoing knee surgery. 22 November 2024 talksport.com The Premier League have announced that their partnership with IMG will end after 20 years for a new media operation. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided a fresh update on the fitness of his squad ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City midfielder James McAtee has reportedly been the subject of an "audacious" bid from Leeds United. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams enjoying some superb form will meet at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, as Lazio and Bologna both aim to extend winning streaks in Serie A. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Erling Haaland sent out a warning shot to the Premier League as Manchester City aim to end their four match losing streak. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Enzo Maresca's King Power Stadium reunion takes place on Saturday lunchtime, as Leicester City and Chelsea prepare for battle in the Premier League's first game back after the international break. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The final standings in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League groups have now been confirmed, and attention will now begin to switch to the knockout stage and playoff formats of the competition. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have suffered a defeat in their long-running legal battle with the Premier League, who have seen proposed changes to Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules approved by a majority of teams. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two sides battling against relegation from Ligue 1 are set to come together on Sunday afternoon when Nantes host Le Havre at Stade de la Beaujoire. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Leganes head coach Borja Jimenez will have to make two changes to his starting XI for Sunday's La Liga clash with Real Madrid. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Raul Asencio is in line to make his full debut for Real Madrid in Sunday's La Liga clash with Leganes. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Michail Antonio's professional career has had plenty of unexpected twists and turns. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea star Cole Palmer will be bidding to add to an incredible Premier League record when he lines up against Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.