Trabzonspor vs. Freiburg – News and Probable Lineups

Currently undefeated in the ongoing 2026-27 UEFA Conference League, Trabzonspor aims to uphold their flawless record as they prepare to host Freiburg at Papara Park this Thursday.

The Turkish squad has secured six points from their first two matches in the league phase and comes into this fixture on the back of seven straight victories across all competitions, while the visiting team has turned their fortunes around with a couple of domestic wins leading up to their journey to Turquia.

Match overview

Under the guidance of Thomas Reis, Trabzonspor has established themselves as early frontrunners in the Conference League, with their solid domestic performance translating into success on the European stage.

The Black Sea Storm kicked off their continental journey with an entertaining 4-2 triumph away against KuPS, followed by a 2-0 win against Hearts at home during matchday two.

These results sandwiched an encouraging 2-0 home victory over Besiktas in the Super Lig, while subsequent league wins against Caykur Rizespor (4-3) and Gaziantep (2-0) have pushed their winning streak to seven matches.

Trabzonspor has not lost at Papara Park in their last six matches, and they are eyeing a significant European achievement if they can secure a seventh consecutive home win, as this would mark their best run in major continental competition since November 2013.

Claiming victory in their initial three matches of a European campaign would also be only the second time they have accomplished such a feat, and they will be striving to achieve that in what will be their first-ever clash with the visitors.

Nonetheless, Freiburg is likely to present a significantly different challenge compared to Trabzonspor’s previous European rivals.

The German team reached the Europa League final last season, where they were defeated by Aston Villa in Istanbul, and their experience at a higher level means they should not be underestimated, even with an inconsistent start to this campaign.

Julian Schuster’s side began their Conference League journey with a 3-2 win over Jablonec, but their visit to Mônaco was a much tougher challenge, culminating in a 3-0 loss, which was followed by a 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.

However, they have improved domestically, securing a 3-2 victory over Wolfsburg in the DFB-Pokal, followed by a 2-1 away win against Augsburg.

That said, their record on the road in European competitions remains concerning, having lost four of their last five away matches.

Team News

Trabzonspor has several injury worries as they head into Thursday’s clash, with Aral Simsir, Franculino, Arseniy Batagov, Ruslan Malinoxyi, and Okay Yokuslu all likely to be absent.

Cihan Canak and goalkeeper Onuralp Cevikkan are also doubts, while Sidny Lopes Cabral is set to miss this fixture due to suspension following his red card against Hearts.

Paul Onuachu is another player whose fitness is being monitored, although the Nigerian forward returned to the starting XI against Gaziantep after sitting out two league matches due to injury.

Freiburg is anticipated to be without Philipp Treu, who is dealing with an ankle injury, and Florent Muslija remains out due to a cruciate ligament injury.

Despite this, Schuster can count on significant experience in central defence with Matthias Ginter and Philipp Lienhart, while Maximilian Eggestein and Yannik Engelhardt are viable options in midfield.

Vincenzo Grifo, Yuito Suzuki, and Jan-Niklas Beste could provide the creative spark behind Igor Matanovic, who has found the back of the net in each of Freiburg’s last two matches.

Trabzonspor probable starting XI:

Onana; Pina, Nwaiwu, Savic, Eskihellac; Fabinho, Kabasakal; Salah, Muci, Saviolo; Onuachu

Freiburg probable starting XI:

bakery; Kubler, Ginter, Lienhart, Makengo; Eggestein, Engelhardt; Best, Suzuki, Scherhant; Matanovic

Trabzonspor’s excellent home form, attacking prowess, and confidence stemming from seven consecutive wins make them a formidable opponent, especially against a Freiburg side that has struggled to convert their domestic performances into success in European away fixtures.