Dortmund vs Freiburg – News and Probable Lineups

Borussia Dortmund aims to secure their Champions League spot for the next season when they host Freiburg at Signal Iduna Park this Sunday evening.

Die Borussen enter this fixture having faced consecutive losses in the Bundesliga, while the visitors are looking to recover from a disheartening defeat in the DFB-Pokal semi-final.

Match overview

Head coach Niko Kovac faces mounting pressure following two straight losses in the Bundesliga – equaling the number of defeats the team had encountered in their previous 36 league matches.

Just a short while ago, on Easter, the Black and Yellows held an 11-point lead over the team in third place, but disappointing losses to Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim have significantly threatened their standing in the final weeks of the campaign.

To qualify for the Champions League, another victory will suffice for Die Borussen, though finishing below second place is likely to dissatisfy the club’s ambitious supporters and management.

Lars Ricken, Dortmund’s sporting director, has publicly urged the team to deliver more attractive football and emphasized the urgency of accelerating youth development.

Kovac has never experienced three consecutive defeats in the Bundesliga during his tenure at Dortmund, and he will be focused on orchestrating a turnaround as the season draws to a close.

Freiburg’s aspirations for domestic honors this season were dashed after an extra-time defeat to Stuttgart in Thursday’s DFB-Pokal semi-final.

The Breisgau Brazilians, who had clinched four consecutive victories across all competitions prior to that cup disappointment, still have a European semi-final to look forward to.

Julian Schuster and his team are gearing up for a crucial Europa League clash with Braga, scheduled for this upcoming Thursday away in Portugal.

Success in this competition would grant Freiburg automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League, marking a significant reward for what has been an impressive campaign.

In addition to their remarkable performances in the cup and European competitions, Freiburg is also vying for a top-seven placement in the Bundesliga.

Currently sitting in seventh position, the Breisgau Brazilians hold a narrow one-point lead over Eintracht Frankfurt, and they will certainly seek a win to expand that margin.

Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga form:

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Freiburg Bundesliga form:

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Freiburg form (all competitions):

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Team News

Borussia Dortmund will be without forward Karim Adeyemi for Sunday’s match due to a muscular injury.

Veteran midfielder Emre Can, who has only made nine appearances this season, will also miss out with a knee issue.

Another seasoned squad member, Niklas Sule, played 42 minutes against Hoffenheim last weekend but is now anticipated to return to the bench due to a knee injury.

Felix Nmecha, struggling with the same injury, is expected to miss his fourth consecutive match.

On the other hand, Freiburg will be without midfielder Patrick Osterhage, who has been sidelined since his two-minute appearance against St Pauli last March.

German defender Max Rosenfelder has been unavailable since February with a hamstring injury and is likely to remain in the treatment room this weekend.

Additionally, there are injuries concerns regarding Jordy Makengo and Philipp Treu.

Borussia Dortmund probable starting XI:

Kobel; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Bellingham, Sabitzer, Svensson; Beier, Brandt; Silva

Freiburg probable starting XI:

Atubolu; Kubler, Ginter, Ogbus, Gunter; Eggestein, Manzambi; Beste, Suzuki, Scherhant; pick up

Borussia Dortmund has never suffered three successive defeats in the Bundesliga under Kovac, and we do not expect that to change this Sunday.

Freiburg has larger aspirations in the Europa League, and it is anticipated that they will focus on Thursday’s away fixture against Braga.