Funnily enough, both teams occupy the exact same league position as they each did when the sides met earlier this season. Borussia currently sit sixth in the standings with Freiburg one spot behind. As was the case in the reverse fixture, SC could leapfrog Gerardo Seoane’s side with a win. “That obviously has an influence,” explained Julian Schuster. “We have worked hard to be in the position we are and are fully aware of the repercussions of either winning or losing the weekend’s fixture.” 

SC will make the trip north backed by 3,000 travelling fans, although without the suspended Matthias Ginter, whose absence after 375 prior Bundesliga career appearances is a rarity. “It’s frustrating that he won’t be available to us but that just makes it all the more important to have Max Rosenfelder back. He is an option for sure after gaining some match practice with the U21s,” informed Schuster regarding team news. Merlin Röhl could also make a return to the squad following recovery from a heel injury before suffering from a bad infection. “He has been in team training again since Sunday and everything went smoothly,” reported Schuster.

Positive track record against Borussia

The recent head-to-head record against the Foals makes for pleasant reading from a Freiburg point of view. Three wins and four draws see SC unbeaten over the course of their last seven fixtures with this opponent; however, Schuster emphasised that this had little bearing on his and his coaching staff’s plans ahead of the sides’ latest meeting. “These kinds of statistics never have an impact on preparations, nor on what we say to the players in the lead-up to the game.” SC’s head coach did nevertheless make one particular point. “What the stats do show is that we have a good chance to put right two recent defeats at home with a result in Mönchengladbach. The lads are full of both desire and belief.”

One key area of focus on Saturday will be concerning aerial duels, with SC netting nine times already this season via headers. Only three teams have scored a higher number of goals in this manner in the current campaign, although one of those is Freiburg’s latest opponent. Furthermore, Borussia have also only conceded one header across the entirety of this Bundesliga season. Tim Kleindienst, standing at six feet and four inches, has played a major role in that solidity with his physical prowess, highly beneficial when it comes to defending set-pieces. The Germany international striker has faced his former club on two previous occasions, scoring each time and once for both 1. FC Heidenheim and in the reverse fixture with Mönchengladbach.

“Tim provides them with a great outball and someone who can dominate in the air,” told Schuster about his former teammate. Kleindienst has scored 15 times so far this term and, in combination with Alassane Pléa’s 10 strikes in the current campaign, the VfL forward duo have netted more than half of the Foals’ goals this season. In contrast, at SC, the responsibility to put the ball in the net is shared more evenly among the squad. “The fact that we pose a goal threat from various positions is characteristic of the way we play,” analysed Schuster.

Photo: SC Freiburg