RB Leipzig vs Freiburg preview
Level on points with a place in the top four at stake. RB Leipzig's home encounter with Freiburg promises to be an intriguing one.
Both teams enter the contest buoyed by cup wins that ensured the two sides will take part in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals.
Both teams enter the contest buoyed by cup wins that ensured the two sides will take part in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals.
| Christopher Nkunku. | Photo: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
RB Leipzig
It is safe to say that Domenico Tedesco has been an absolute blessing to RB Leipzig’s season. In his 14 games in charge, he has overseen just two defeats to put his side firmly back in the hunt for a Champions League spot. In fact, Leipzig enter Saturday’s contest inside the top four thanks to a superior goal difference over their weekend opponents.
Apart from Bayern Munich, Leipzig are the team that no Bundesliga side currently want to face. They have won their last four matches in all competitions by a combined scoreline of 14-2. The latest of those victories was a 4-0 away win over Hannover 96 to move Leipzig into the final four of the Pokal.
With their last 16 opponents Spartak Moscow removed from the competition, Leipzig are now in the Europa League quarter-finals, the Pokal semi-finals, with a place in the top four a likely destination for their league campaign. It would not have been a scenario many would have predicted at the end of November.
Despite all their recent success, Leipzig face a tough test on Saturday when they play host to Freiburg. Although, Leipzig will still fancy their chances, especially as they have emerged victorious from nine of their 12 home league games.
There are no known injury concerns for the hosts, with Joško Gvardiol available for selection despite picking up a knock in midweek.
Freiburg
At the start of the season, not many would have predicted that with ten games left to play that Freiburg would be firmly in the hunt for a top-four place. Although their success has not been limited to just league action, with the Breisgau-Brasilianer also reaching the Pokal semi-finals after claiming an extra-time victory over Bochum.
Roland Sallai’s 120th-minute winner ensured that Freiburg enter the weekend in high spirits. As well as securing their progression to the last four, the midweek result extended Freiburg’s current unbeaten run to four games in all competitions.
Despite possessing the fourth-joint best away record in the league, Freiburg may be content with a point from Saturday’s contest, as they try to prevent Leipzig from gaining any ground in the race for the top four.
Yannik Keitel will not feature in Leipzig due to a broken toe, while Nicolas Höfler is also ruled out due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
