Last weekend’s 0-0 draw against Augsburg took SC onto 40 points this season, a tally seen by many clubs as being necessary to reach in order to avoid having anything to do with the relegation battle. In two of the last three seasons, SC had already managed to reach this tally at this stage of the season. Across their previous 21 seasons in the top flight, SC had only once managed to do so, in the 1994/95 season (using 3 points per win).

The next two matchdays will be crucial towards determining whether SC will be able to remain in the fight for a European spot. In the lead up to the first international break of the season later this month, SC will come up against first Leipzig and then Mainz - two of their immediate competitors.

RB Leipzig are currently in sixth place and two points behind SC Freiburg, having struggled to match their strong form from the first half of the season. Mainz, meanwhile, can be found just one point ahead of SC courtesy of their impressive 2-1 win against Leipzig last weekend. “Of course Leipzig are aiming to improve their position in the table. They also had an opportunity to take a 2-0 lead inside 10 minutes. It just goes to show how tight the competition is. They have a lot of quality and we’re duly warned and know what to expect,” said Julian Schuster.

This weekend will mark the first time in over 10 years that Freiburg will be playing at home in the Bundesliga in the league’s primetime slot on a Saturday evening. They will be able to take plenty of confidence with them into the game, having put together a run of five matches without defeat and without conceding a single goal in the process. “We can take confidence from the last few weeks and the belief that we will be able to deliver a fitting performance on Saturday,” said Schuster. “We know that we can be a tough opponent for any side, especially if we manage to get our performance right.”

SC suffered a 3-1 defeat in Leipzig earlier this season, but delivered a brave performance, particularly in the first half. For his part, Schuster isn’t focused on past results when preparing his side for Saturday’s match. “We’re preparing with the same focus as in any other game, regardless of what’s happened against Leipzig in the past,” he said.

The 39-year-old will be able to welcome Max Rosenfelder back to the matchday squad, with the defender having returned to team training this past week. The home section of the stadium is also sold out, meaning that SC can count on the support of their fans as they seek to cement themselves inside the top third of the table.

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