Freiburg vs. Augsburg: probable teams, match stats

Will Freiburg and Ritsu Doan finally spark in 2023 when Augsburg come to the Europa-Park Stadion on Saturday

One of Japan’s heroes at the 2022 World Cup, Doan has played every minute of Freiburg’s two Bundesliga games since, but neither player nor team are yet to fully get going this year. A 6-0 thumping in Wolfsburg last weekend was followed on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw at home to Eintracht Frankfurt after Matthias Ginter’s equaliser. It’s so congested at the top that those two games without a win have seen Die Breisgauer tumble from second over the winter break to sixth, but still only five points off leaders Bayern Munich at the mid-point of the season. Yet the team’s haul of 31 points is their best in a Hinrunde since the introduction of three points for a win. Christian Streich will be relieved that Vincenzo Grifo was able to feature again during the week after a brief bout of flu. The Italy international should start here as Freiburg look to extend their unbeaten run at home to eight games.

Augsburg, meanwhile, climbed to 14th after moving out of the relegation play-off spot on the back of a much needed 1-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach on Wednesday. Mergim Berisha got the only goal as Die Fuggerstädter earned their first three points since the start of October. It was also the team’s first clean sheet since September, but they have conceded at least two in each of their last five Bundesliga away games. Coach Enrico Maaßen will assess the players’ fitness at the end of this busy Englische Woche, but will likely stick with the side that did the job during the week and came so close to an upset in Dortmund. Ruben Vargas and Irvin Cardona remain out after picking up injuries last weekend.

Match stats

• Augsburg are one of Grifo’s favourite opponents. In 11 Bundesliga games against them, the midfielder has scored four and provided two assists, while winning eight times and drawing three.
• Ginter got his 19th Bundesliga goal during for week (five for Freiburg, 11 for Gladbach, three for Borussia Dortmund). His team has never lost when he’s scored (W14, D5), including three goals and wins against Augsburg.
• Freiburg are unbeaten in their last eight Bundesliga games against Augsburg, with four of their five wins coming in the four most recent encounters.
• Augsburg’s winter arrival Dion Beljo provided an assist on his debut Bundesliga appearance against Dortmund on Matchday 16.
• Ermedin Demirovic has six goals in his 17 Bundesliga games for Augsburg, which is just one shy of his total in 61 appearances for Freiburg.
• Maaßen’s side have won more aerial duels (454) than any other team this term. They have also been shown 10 more yellow cards (49) than any other side.

Probable teams

Freiburg: Flekken – Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Günter (c) – Eggestein, Keitel – Doan, Kyereh, Grifo – Gregoritsch
Out: Höfler (suspended)
Doubtful: –
Coach: Christian Streich

Augsburg: Gikiewicz – Gumny, Gouweleeuw (c), Uduokhai, Pedersen – Maier, Engels, Rexhbecaj, Demirovic – Beljo, Berisha
Out: Cardona (foot), Hahn (knee), Iago (Achilles tendon), Strobl (cruciate ligament), Vargas (ankle)
Doubtful: –
Coach: Enrico Maaßen