RB Leipzig will hope to maintain their strong domestic form and mount a challenge to leaders Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga when they host Freiburg at Red Bull Arena on Saturday.
Die Roten Bullen are second with 17 points after seven matchweeks and are level on points with Vincent Kompany's Bayern, though the visitors are only two points behind them in third place after their seven league games.
Match preview
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Leipzig lost on Wednesday night in the Champions League against Arne Slot's Liverpool, who emerged as 1-0 victors despite the German side having the better of the match in the opening and closing stages of the game.
The result leaves Saturday's hosts sixth last in 31st place in the league table of Europe's premier competition with no points from their first three fixtures.
However, boss Marco Rose will be delighted with his side's showing in the Bundesliga, including with Die Roten's most recent match in the league on October 19 when his team beat Mainz 05 2-0.
Rose's side were dominant in that game, creating two big chances while restricting Mainz to none of their own.
Leipzig have only scored 11 goals, 13 fewer than leaders Bayern, but they are also the top flight's best defensive team having conceded just twice.
Die Roten Bullen have won three and lost two of their last five games, and though they have lost their last two home fixtures, they are unbeaten in their last 10 Bundesliga games at Red Bull Arena, winning seven times.
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Opponents Freiburg beat Augsburg 3-1 in their most recent match last Saturday, taking a 3-0 lead by the half-time interval.
The weekend's visitors only created one big chance in that game while Augsburg created two themselves, though they only had four shots inside the penalty area compared to Breisgau-Brasilianer's seven.
Manager Julian Schuster will be delighted that his side have managed to equal the club's best ever start in the league after seven games.
Schuster's team have won four of their five most recent Bundesliga fixtures, scoring nine times and conceding five goals.
Freiburg have also won their last two away games in the competition with two clean sheets, but it should be noted that they did lose two and draw one of the prior three matches on the road in the league.
Team News
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Leipzig have several injury concerns, including Xaver Schlager and David Raum, who are not scheduled to return until January 2025 and December 2024 respectively.
Forzan Assan Ouedraogo and Nicolas Seiwald are likely to be out of action until next month, while Xavi Simons was forced off due to injury against Liverpool and could be unavailable for selection until the middle of November.
The hosts may field a back four consisting of Benjamin Henrichs, Castello Lukeba, Willi Orban and Lutsharel Geertruida, while Christoph Baumgartner could come into the XI in place of Simons.
As for Freiburg, centre-back Kenneth Schmidt is expected to be out until the middle of November, though fellow defender Manuel Gulde could return early next month.
Freiburg will also be without midfielders Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and Merlin Rohl, so expect Maximilian Eggestein and Patrick Osterhage to start in a double pivot.
Matthias Ginter and Philipp Lienhart are likely to feature as centre-backs, while Chukwubuike Adamu could lead the line up front as a striker.
RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Henrichs, Castello, Orban, Geertruida; Haidara, Kampl, Nusa, Baumgartner; Sesko, Openda
Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Atubolu; Kubler, Ginter, Lienhart, Gunter; Eggestein, Osterhage; Doan, Dinkci, Grifo; Adamu
We say: RB Leipzig 1-0 Freiburg
Although Freiburg beat Augsburg last time out, their underlying creative numbers were not particularly strong, and they could struggle against Leipzig's formidable defence.
However, given Leipzig's tiring match against Liverpool on Wednesday, it would not be surprising if Saturday's clash was a close affair.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
