Freiburg vs Mainz preview: Hosts in pursuit of Champions League spot
Freiburg
Freiburg struck early against RB Leipzig, taking the lead within 15 minutes, but ultimately let the game slip as Leipzig mounted a comeback with three second-half goals to claim all three points.
Freiburg are level on points with fourth-placed Union Berlin, who hold the last Champions League qualification spot.
In the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday, Freiburg defeated Hamburg 2-1 to advance to the third round. This was Freiburg's fifth win in seven recent matches across all competitions, with two losses in that span.
Manager Julian Schuster remained positive after the Leipzig loss, expressing pride in his team’s performance and applauding their courage and belief on the field.
Freiburg’s Bundesliga season has seen them score 13 goals and concede 11, making them the league’s joint ninth-best attack and joint fourth-best defence.
They have been strong at home, winning four of their last five matches at Europa-Park Stadion with ten goals scored. However, they’ve struggled defensively, allowing seven goals in that same period without a clean sheet.
Team News
Freiburg will be missing several players for this matchup. Midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh is out until late November, whilst Merlin Röhl is expected to return mid-month. Defensively, Jordy Makengo, Kenneth Schmidt, and Manuel Gulde are unlikely to be available, which could see Freiburg line up with a back four of Lukas Kübler, Matthias Ginter, Philipp Lienhart, and Christian Günter.
In midfield, Maximilian Eggestein and Patrick Osterhage are options for a double pivot behind forward Eren Dinkci.
Mainz
Mainz enter the weekend after a heavy 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday, where Jamal Musiala scored a first-half hat-trick. This loss to Vincent Kompany’s team adds to a challenging run for Mainz, as they’ve now gone three games without a win, including a 1-1 league draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach in their most recent Bundesliga outing.
Mainz may feel disappointed with the draw against Gladbach, given their missed opportunities in front of goal.
Bo Henriksen’s side has scored 12 goals and conceded 13 in the league, ranking them as the Bundesliga’s joint 11th-best attack and eighth-best defence.
Despite recent setbacks, Mainz has shown strong form on the road. They have won three and drawn one of their last four away games, scoring 15 goals and conceding seven. They remain unbeaten in their last eight away matches, underscoring their resilience on the road.
Team News
Mainz also have several absentees. Centre-backs Andreas Hanche-Olsen and Moritz Jenz, along with right-back Nikolas Veratschnig, are ruled out. Coach Bo Henriksen may deploy a back three of Stefan Bell, Dominik Kohr, and Maxim Leitsch, with Anthony Caci and Phillipp Mwene likely operating as wing-backs.
Additionally, Die Nullfünfer may be without striker Jonathan Burkardt and midfielder Nadiem Amiri. In their absence, Daniel Gleiber could step in for Amiri, while Armindo Sieb might replace Burkardt up front.