In what may prove to be a decisive match in the battle for European football, Borussia Monchengladbach will welcome Freiburg to Borussia Park on Saturday in their 29th Bundesliga game of the season.
Sixth-placed Die Fohlen have 44 points and occupy the Conference League qualification spot, whereas seventh-placed Freiburg lost 4-1 against Borussia Dortmund on April 5 but only have two fewer points than their opponents.
Match preview
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Borussia Monchengladbach were held to a 1-1 stalemate by St Pauli on April 6, a game in which they faced nearly two xG and 12 shots from inside the box while they only registered four attempts inside St Pauli's penalty area.
Although the hosts have faced 51.5 xG in the league – the second most of the 18 teams in the Bundesliga – they have only conceded 41 times, the seventh-best record in the league.
Manager Gerardo Seoane's side still have a chance to qualify for the Champions League considering they are two points from fourth-placed Mainz 05 and four points from third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.
Seoane's team are unbeaten in three matches – winning twice – and they also won four of their previous seven while drawing once.
Borussia Monchengladbach beat RB Leipzig 1-0 on March 29 in their most recent home match, but that was just their second victory in their last six at Borussia Park having been beaten on three occasions in that time.
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Meanwhile, the visitors trailed 4-0 before they scored their consolation goal in the 88th minute against Dortmund, though they were perhaps unfortunate to have only found the back of the net once given they created three big chances.
Freiburg have scored one or fewer goals in 10 of their past 12 fixtures, and their tally of 38 goals in the Bundesliga is the worst return in the top 10.
Boss Julian Schuster oversaw a 3-1 victory against Borussia Monchengladbach on November 30, and his team boast a phenomenal record against their hosts, winning three and drawing four of their past seven meetings while netting three goals in each of their last three clashes.
Breisgau-Brasilianer come into the clash having lost their two most recent matches, and they drew each of their previous three.
Freiburg have at least avoided defeat in their last four away fixtures – emerging triumphant twice – but they did suffer losses in five of their prior six on the road.
Team News
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Borussia Monchengladbach will be without goalkeepers Jonas Omlin and Moritz Nicolas, making Tiago Pereira Cardoso the most likely candidate to play in goal behind centre-backs Ko Itakura and Nico Elvedi.
Given midfielder Philipp Sander is injured, Rocco Reitz and Julian Weigl may be stationed in the middle of the pitch behind attacking midfielder Alassane Plea.
Winger Nathan N'Goumou is sidelined due to an Achilles tendon injury, so perhaps Franck Honorat and Robin Hack will flank striker Tim Kleindienst.
As for Freiburg, centre-back Matthias Ginter has accumulated too many yellow cards and is not available for selection due to suspension, so expect to see Max Rosenfelder and Philipp Lienhart to appear in the heart of defence.
Goalkeeper Noah Atubolu is injured, but Florian Muller started between the posts last time out and will almost certainly retain his place.
Ritsu Doan, Lucas Holer and Vincenzo Grifo may start in attack behind Junior Adamu considering attacking midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh has been ruled out.
Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:
Cardoso; Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Ullrich; Reitz, Weigl; Honorat, Plea, Hack; Kleindienst
Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Muller; Sildillia, Rosenfelder, Lienhart, Gunter; Eggestein, Osterhage; Doan, Holer, Grifo; Adamu
We say: Borussia Monchengladbach 1-2 Freiburg
Freiburg should be seen as favourites given their strong record against Borussia Monchengladbach in their recent encounters.
The visitors are unlikely to score many goals considering their poor displays in the final third, but they have been strong away from home.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
