SC Freiburg – Bayer Leverkusen
The second legs of the Champions League and Europa League round of 16 took place during the week. Some German teams were still represented and so both SC Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen still had to play their European Cup match on Thursday evening. Now the two teams will face each other in the Bundesliga. You can find out who will win this clash and who you should bet on in our Freiburg – Leverkusen betting tip.
Freiburg were eliminated from international competition with a bitter lesson at West Ham United on Thursday. In the 5-0 defeat, the Breisgau side, who had certainly given themselves hope of progressing after the 1-0 first-leg win, had no chance. The focus is now on the Bundesliga, as SC want to play internationally again next year.
Bayer Leverkusen barely managed to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League in a thriller. They were behind until the 90th minute, but scored two goals in stoppage time in a phenomenal final spurt. They continue to lead the way in the Bundesliga, but do not want to slip up to avoid making the title race unnecessarily tense
Freiburg – Leverkusen info
- Date & Time: 17.03.2024, 3:30 pm
- Playing venue: Europa-Park Stadium, Freiburg
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 26
- TV broadcast/livestream: DAZN
Freiburg Form & Balance Check
Freiburg don’t have much time to recover from their defeat against West Ham during the week. The focus must be placed directly on the tough game against the leaders, as Freiburg still want to reach the international qualification places. With just one win and five points from their last five league games, coach Christian Streich’s side are currently eighth in the table.
With 33 points, the Breisgauers are seven points behind Frankfurt, who currently occupy the final international qualification spot. The season is entering its decisive phase and it would be important for Freiburg to pick up something tangible against Leverkusen in order not to lose touch with international business
End of an era?
The Europa League exit seems to be making waves. After the game, the media raised questions about the iconic coach Streich and his future at SC. A decision is expected to be made next week, but the evening in London could be Streich’s last international match with SC Freiburg. Should he actually quit, it would be the end of an era
Freiburg facts & analysis
- Eighth place in the table
- Last game lost
- Last Bundesliga game won
Leverkusen Form & Balance Check
Leverkusen also have only a short breather after the exciting European Cup evening against Qarabag Agdam. The team from Azerbaijan demanded everything from the German league leaders. The win means Bayer remain unbeaten this season and continue their phenomenal campaign.
There have been five wins in a row in the Bundesliga recently and Leverkusen remain in first place with 67 points. The difference to Bayern Munich in second place is ten points. Even if Bayer may not yet be able to say it themselves, the championship seems as good as certain
Savior Schick
Patrick Schick has played a huge part in the team reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League. The striker, who came on as a substitute in the 59th minute, single-handedly turned the game around with goals in the 93rd and 98th minutes and secured victory for his team in the last second.
He also scored in the first leg a week ago. These goals will give the 28-year-old Czech a boost, as he has been repeatedly set back by minor injuries this season and has yet to really get going. He has most likely earned a place in the starting line-up against Freiburg
Leverkusen facts & analysis
- First place in the table
- Last game won
- Still unbeaten this season
Freiburg will line up with a 4-2-2-2 formation. Despite the defeat in London, we expect little rotation in the starting line-up. Merlin Röhl could start in central midfield for Maximilian Eggestein, who is suspended due to his 5th yellow card. Michael Gregoritsch will continue to come off the bench as a substitute. Maximilain Philip is still an option as a substitute in midfield.
Leverkusen could make a few changes compared to their Europa League game. Jonathan Tah will return to central defense in the 3-4-3 system. International Robert Andrich will take his place on the bench for the time being, giving way to Exequiel Palacios. Alejandro Grimaldo and Schick will start for Amine Adli and Jeremie Frimpong
Freiburg – Leverkusen head-to-head & stats
It will be a small anniversary, as this weekend marks the 50th meeting between Freiburg and Leverkusen in the history of the two clubs. Bayer clearly lead the direct comparison with 22 to 13 wins. If we look at the last five encounters, we see one win for Freiburg, three wins for Leverkusen and one draw. In the first leg of this season, the Werkself ran out 2:1 winners. The first ever meeting between the two was in 1993. Back then, Freiburg won 1:0.
Direct comparison (H2H)
