VfB Stuttgart – SC Freiburg
Another weekend brings, as almost always, a fresh matchday in the Bundesliga. Next Saturday it’s that time again at 15:30 and the matchday 3 conference begins. This day will once again feature captivating matches, including the clash between VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg. Both teams have made a solid start to the new season and are looking to continue their performance. You can find our outlook on this Baden-Württemberg duel in our Stuttgart – Freiburg tip.
On the 3rd matchday of the pre-season, exactly the same duel took place in Stuttgart’s Mercedes-Benz Arena. At that time, the Breisgauer won with 1:0. And also in general, the SCF overtook the VfB in recent years as the number 1 in the Ländle. The last victory of Stuttgart in the league dates back to 2018.
And SC Freiburg also got off to a better start this season. The Breisgauer won the first two games of the new season. VfB Stuttgart, on the other hand, entered Matchday 2 as league leaders, but went down 1:5 in Leipzig last Friday.
Stuttgart – Freiburg info
- Date & Time: 02.09.2023, 15:30 hrs.
- Game venue: Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 3.
- TV coverage: Sky
Stuttgart form & balance check
The past few years have always shown VfB Stuttgart with a promising team, yet the Swabians have found themselves fighting relegation every year. Last year, VfB fought until the end and avoided the fall into the 2nd Bundesliga by winning the relegation against HSV.
Under the leadership of coach Sebastian Hoeneß, the goal for this season is to finally climb back up the table. After a successful cup opener against Balingen, VfB started the new Bundesliga season with an impressive 5-0 win over VfL Bochum. In the second match against Leipzig, VfB also managed to take a 1-0 lead, which it held until halftime. However, RB Leipzig later stepped it up a notch and ultimately won 5:1.
Stiller in the center
The current season brings a number of departures for VfB, which took place shortly before the end of the transfer period. Long-time captain Wataru Endo moved to Liverpool in the Premier League shortly before the start of the season. Defender Konstantinos Mavropanos also left for the British Isles. The Greek recently joined current Premier League runners-up West Ham United.
The Swabians then landed Angelo Stiller as a reinforcement last weekend. The 22-year-old moved to the Neckar from Hoffenheim and is expected to fill the gap left by Endo’s departure. In his career to date, the midfield man has made 47 appearances in the German top flight.
Stuttgart facts & analysis
- Placed 16th in the Bundesliga in the preseason.
- Goal ratio of 6:5 after two games in the league.
- Lost 1:5 to Leipzig in the previous week
Freiburg form & balance check
Freiburg put in another impressive performance last season. The Breisgauer secured fifth place in the Bundesliga and also reached the round of 16 in the Europa League. This underscores the careful approach taken by Freiburg in recent years.
Freiburg fans are hoping for similar success in the new season. In the opening game of the Bundesliga, the Breisgauer defeated Hoffenheim with a commanding 2:1. The previous week, the SCF then had to deal with Werder Bremen at home in the Europa-Park Stadium and struggled for a long time despite many good chances. In the end, the Breisgauer needed a goal in injury time to make the second win in the second game perfect.
Philipp is back
Christian Streich was completely deservedly named coach of the year in 2022. Like hardly anyone else, he is able to cast a spell over the players. For this reason, many young talents decide to move to Freiburg, and not without reason. With regard to the upcoming match, SC will certainly once again rely on its strong offense.
Maximilian Philipp has also fit in seamlessly on his return to Breisgau. On his return home to his former club, the 29-year-old striker scored directly. During his first three professional years at SCF, he played 88 games, scoring 18 goals and providing 23 assists.
Freiburg facts & analysis
- Last season in fifth place in the Bundesliga standings.
- Won 1:0 against Bremen in the previous week
- Three wins from first three games of season
Predicted lineup – last update on September 1, 2023
VfB Stuttgart will once again start in a 4-2-3-1. Enzo Millot is likely to return to the starting eleven after his calf problems. Woo-yeong Jeong will probably play against his ex-club in attacking midfield from the start.
SC Freiburg will probably play a 4-2-3-1 again. Maximilian Philipp made his comeback for the Breisgauer the previous week and scored the winning goal in injury time. Therefore, we can well imagine that the 29-year-old will be in the starting eleven in Stuttgart.
Stuttgart – Freiburg direct comparison & statistics
In 47 meetings between the two teams so far, VfB Stuttgart have recorded 26 wins in their favor, while Sport-Club Freiburg have emerged victorious 17 times. The remaining six encounters ended in draws. However, Stuttgart did not score a win in their last eight league matches against SCF.
- Stuttgart’s last Bundesliga home win against Freiburg was on 2017-10-29.
- Both stadiums are only 134 kilometers away from each other.
- Both teams were separated by 26 points in the league during the preseason
