Bundesliga | Gameweek 16

Jan 11, 2025 at 2.30pm UK

Schwarzwald-Stadion

Freiburg vs Holstein Kiel

Match preview

Freiburg have made a mixed start to the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign, winning seven, drawing three and losing five of their opening 15 games, but given the tightness of the mid-table, they sit just one point off the European qualification spots.

The Brazilians from the Breisgau endured a rather poor December, which began with a 3-1 DFB-Pokal defeat at the hands of Bundesliga minnows Arminia Bielefeld and ended with a crushing 5-1 defeat at the hands of holders Bayer Leverkusen.

In between those defeats, Julian Schuster's side were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw away at Hoffenheim, and almost let a three-goal lead slip against Wolfsburg before holding on for a 3-2 victory.

However, the Breisgau outfit have done very well at the Europa-Park Stadium this term, picking up 16 points, including five wins, which is the same number of victories they managed on their home turf in the whole of last season.

Freiburg have not fared well against newly promoted teams in recent times, winning just one of their last five such encounters, the last of which ended in defeat to St. Pauli on the fifth matchday in September.

Holstein Kiel, on the other hand, have only faced this opponent once in their professional careers and will have fond memories of that encounter, as they beat Freiburg 2-1 to knock them out of the DFB-Pokal in the 2018-19 season.

The Storks could certainly do with a repeat of that result this weekend, as they have taken just eight points from their opening 15 top-flight games, leaving them two points adrift of third-bottom Heidenheim and six points from safety.

Marcel Rapp's side did end last year on a positive note, however, when they thrashed Augsburg 5-1 at home to become the first Bundesliga debutants to score five times in a match since Hoffenheim against Hannover 96 almost two decades ago.

However, Holstein Kiel are still winless after their opening seven league games this season (W0 D2 L5) and if they fail to pick up three points this week, they will become the first top-flight debutants in 24 years to fail to win any of their first eight away games.

Recent Performance

Freiburg Bundesliga form:DLWDWL

Holstein Kiel Bundesliga form:LLLLLW

Team News

Schuster opted to deploy Lucas Holer in a slightly deeper role last time out against Bayer Leverkusen, but he is likely to revert to a more conventional 4-4-2 for this game, with the German striker partnering Michael Gregoritsch in attack.

The hosts will be without at least two players through injury, with Bruno Ogbus (Achilles) ruled out for the rest of the season and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh sidelined until next month after undergoing knee surgery a few months ago.

After missing the first seven games of the season following his summer move from FC Homburg, Phil Harres has started the last eight games for Holstein Kiel, scoring four times, including a brace in last month's demolition of Augsburg.

Rapp will be without midfield duo Colin Kleine-Bekel (ACL) and Patrick Erras (head) through injury this week, while Marvin Schulz (groin) and Steven Skrzybski (Achilles) are doubts.

Possible starting lineup

Freiburg possible starting lineup:

Atubolu; Kubler, Ginter, Lienhart, Gunter; Eggestein, Osterhage, Grifo, Doan; Holer, Gregoritsch

Holstein Kiel possible starting lineup:

Weiner; Ivezic, Geschwill, Komenda; Rosenboom, Holtby, Remberg, Gigovic, Porath; Harres, Machino