Motherwell v SC Freiburg preview, team news and predicted line-ups | OneFootball

SC Freiburg visit Motherwell on Thursday in a Europa Conference League qualifying first leg, the first Bundesliga club to start the season. The winners will advance to the league phase.

According to BuLi News, Freiburg reached the Europa League final last term, while Motherwell would make their first ever group stage if they win a third European tie this month.

Motherwell beat HB Tórshavn 5-0 on aggregate in round one. They then edged past HJK Helsinki, Ibrahim Said’s second-half goals in the second leg at Fir Park sending Alfred Johansson’s side through.

Freiburg ended pre-season with a 3-0 victory in a 120-minute friendly against Conference League champions Crystal Palace. Their league campaign begins on Sunday at Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Motherwell exited the Scottish League Cup on Sunday after extra time at newly-promoted Championship side Stenhousemuir, with Johansson rotating. Oscar Priestman and Johnny Koutroumbis are out and will also miss the return leg with muscular injuries, while Tom Sparrow and Seb Palmer-Houlden are doubts. Freiburg have no injury concerns, with goalkeeper Mio Backhaus and Erik Engelhardt expected to make competitive debuts, and Vincenzo Grifo having extended his contract on Wednesday.

Predicted line-ups: Motherwell: Paulsen, Longelo, Girdwood-Reich, Moormann, Ross, Fadinger (c), Whyte, Charles-Cook, Lowry, Said, Maswanhise. Freiburg: Backhaus, Treu, Ginter, Lienhart, Makengo, Eggestein, Engelhardt, Beste, Suzuki, Grifo (c), Matanovic.

Source: BuLi News

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”