RB Leipzig will look to Xavi for inspiration as they attempt to break back into the top four with victory over Freiburg on Sunday
Xavi added a fifth competitive goal of the season to his seven assists (including a Bundesliga-leading six) as Leipzig booked their place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with a 2-1 win at Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday. The result was just the tonic for Die Roten Bullen, following their surprise 2-0 loss to Mainz on Bundesliga Matchday 10 and DFB Cup second-round elimination at the hands of Wolfsburg. Midfielder Kevin Kampl and striker Yussuf Poulsen are set to return for the visit of Freiburg, having been benched in favour of Amadou Haidara and Benjamin Šeško in midweek. Dani Olmo is a long-term absentee, while Timo Werner remains a doubt due to illness. Marco Rose’s charges could climb as high as third with a win, if results elsewhere go there way.
Freiburg also have European football to factor into their preparations, though head coach Christian Streich tends to rotate his side in the UEFA Europa League, saving his preferred XI for the Bundesliga. That should mean a third straight league start for 21-year-old Merlin Röhl, who produced an assist in the 3-3 draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend. Freiburg gave up a 1-0 lead in that game, before hitting back from 3-1 down and securing a point through Vincenzo Grifo’s injury-time penalty. The performance was rather typical of what’s been an inconsistent start to 2023/24. Heading into Thursday’s home match against Bačka Topola, Freiburg – six points behind Leipzig in the current Bundesliga standings – are winless in three in all competitions.
Match stats
- Loïs Openda is Leipzig’s leading scorer with eight goals from 10 appearances, but a joint-division-leading 11 different players have been on the scoresheet for Die Roten Bullen this season.
- Leipzig are unbeaten in their last nine Bundesliga home games (W7, D2), and have never lost to Freiburg on their own patch in the top flight (W5, D2) since they both came up in 2016.
- Die Roten Bullen have won the last three competitive meetings with Freiburg and are unbeaten in nine encounters across competitions (seven in the Bundesliga), but have never won four in a row in this fixture.
- Grifo has been directly involved in eight of Freiburg’s 13 Bundesliga goals this season (three scored, five assists), which is the highest proportion of any player in the division (62 percent).
- Freiburg have won just one of five away games this Bundesliga campaign (D1, L3), scoring just three goals – only Cologne have managed fewer on the road (two).
- Freiburg are four points worse off than they were at this stage last season. Leipzig are five better off.
Probable teams
Leipzig: Blaswich – Henrichs, Simakan, Castello, Raum – Xavi, Schlager, Kampl (c), Forsberg – Openda, Poulsen
Out: Bitshiabu (knee), Olmo (shoulder), Orban (knee)
Doubtful: Werner (ill)
Coach: Marco Rose
Freiburg: Atubolu – Sildillia, Ginter, Lienhart, Kübler – Eggestein, Höfler – Dōan, Röhl, Grifo (c) – Höler
Out: Günter (broken arm), Kyereh (knee), Philipp (shoulder), Sallai (thigh)
Doubtful: –
Coach: Christian Streich
