SC Freiburg vs. K.R.C. Genk Europa League preview: Team news and predicted lineups | OneFootball

Freiburg will have a stern test to overturn a narrow deficit against Genk in the Europa League return leg tie on Thursday. Julian Schuster’s side lost last week's game at Cegeka Arena with the only goal scored by Zakaria El Ouahdi.

However, the Moroccan right-back will be suspended for this one after picking up his third yellow card of the competition. Genk were dominant in the first-half before Freiburg struggled to convert their improved performance after the break into clear-cut chances.

Bundesliga's eighth-placed team saw their unbeaten home record come to an end in the weekend. Union Berlin became the first away side to win at the Europa-Park since Freiburg’s 3-1 defeat to Sandro Wagner’s Augsburg in the opening Bundesliga matchday. Jeong Woo-Yeong scored the only goal of the game in injury-time to halt his former club's impressive 16-game streak.

On the contrary, El Ouahdi was at it again as he scored the winner for Genk against St. Truiden. However, Nicky Hayen's side remained outside championship playoff spots before the end of the regular season in Belgium on Sunday.

Freiburg were knocked out of the Europa League at this particular stage against Juventus and West Ham in their last two appearances. Genk’s best record is reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League back in the 2016/17 campaign.

Team News

Max Rosenfelder is the only absentee for Freiburg as he has been out since mid-February due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Maximilian Eggestein could most likely regain his starting berth after missing last week's game due to suspension.

El Ouahdi will be expected to be replaced by Ken Nkuba, who was last in the starting lineups in Genk’s first game of 2026.

Predicted Lineups

Freiburg: Atubolu; Treu, Ginter, Ogbus, Günter ©; Eggestein, Manzambi; Beste, Suzuki, Grifo; Matanović

Genk: Lawal; Nkuba, Kongolo, Smets, Kayembe; Heynen ©, Heymans, Bangoura; Karetsas; Bibout, Adedeji-Sternberg