SC Freiburg vs. VfB Stuttgart preview: Freiburg look to kickstart season in Baden-Schwaben clash | OneFootball

SC Freiburg

Stuttgart supporters will tell you that this weekend’s clash is categorically not a derby - that couldn’t be further from the truth for the Freiburg contingent.

Freiburg welcome their neighbours from the other side of the Baden-Schwaben border this weekend, and the fixture is a huge one from the hosts’ perspective.

Julian Schuster’s men have been well beaten in both of their Bundesliga matches so far, with newly promoted Köln dispatching Freiburg 4-1 as Bundesliga football was brought back to the RheinEnergieStadion.

Last term, Freiburg opened their Bundesliga campaign with a 3-1 win against Stuttgart, before a campaign that would end with the club returning to the Europa League after a year away. The hope will be that Schuster’s side can use the same fixture as a launching pad once again and put some points on the board after two successive losses.

Team News

Julian Schuster has the majority of his squad to choose from going into the weekend, with Daniel-Kofi Kyereh being the only absentee.

Predicted lineup - 4-2-3-1: Atubolu - Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Günter - Eggestein, Osterhage - Beste, Manzambi, Grifo - Höler

VfB Stuttgart

After losing to Union Berlin on opening weekend, Stuttgart responded with a 1-0 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach on a day of celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the iconic ‘Brustring’ on the club’s home shirt.

VfB have since celebrated their 132nd birthday over the international break, and will hope that the Chema Andres winner against Gladbach has jump-started their season after a loss in the Supercup, and on matchday one.

Nick Woltemade made his big money move to Newcastle United at the end of the transfer window, and Die Schwaben have since responded with the arrivals of Bilal El-Khannouss and Badredine Bounani, with the former excelling for Leicester City last term despite their relegation from the Premier League.

Sebastian Hoeneß is left a little light up front, though - with Deniz Undav sidelined for 6-8 weeks after being forced off against Gladbach. It will be a strenuous period for Ermedin Demirovic, who will be trusted to lead the line for the foreseeable future. Hoeneß also mentioned in his press conference that both Tiago Tomas and Jamie Leweling can be considered as striker options.

Team News

Undav, as mentioned above, is expected to return in mid-late October, while Justin Diehl and Silas are scheduled to return to the fold later this month.

Leonidas Stergiou remains out, as does Fabian Bredlow - Luca Jaquez and Ameen al-Dakhil are also unavailable, all but guaranteeing a start for impressive youngster Finn Jeltsch.

Summer arrival Tiago Tomas had been suffering with an illness throughout the week; however has since resumed training. Deadline day arrival, El-Khannouss is deemed as a “serious option” by Hoeneß after training for the first time.

Predicted lineup - 4-2-3-1: Nübel - Vagnoman, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstädt - Karazor, Stiller - Leweling, Tomas, Führich - Demirovic