Freiburg return to the Europa League for the third time in four years, but this will be their debut with the new format. After a rather unpleasant draw, Basel sure seem like one of the easier tasks on their schedule.
After a shocking start in the Bundesliga, which saw Freiburg lose back-to-back by huge margins, the Breisgau Brazilians turned the pancake and bounced back with back-to-back thrashings over Stuttgart and Werder Bremen. These results are a lot more like the Freiburg we remember from late last season, and fans have good reason to be excited for the first round in the Europa League. Freiburg won their last four EL home matches during their last entry into the competition, including 5-0 wins over Olympiacos and a 1-0 over West Ham.
But while playing in Europe is still considered an achievement in the home camp, Basel have been an absolute staple in UEFA’s competitions, participating in either group stage in 17 of the last 20 seasons. They couldn’t make it to the Champions League this season but are more than capable of making a splash in the EL with their current form.
How the bookies view it: Freiburg play better at home
It is completely normal for a Bundesliga side to be a betting favourite against most sides, but even we got surprised by the difference in odds. Bookmakers are leaning heavily towards Freiburg, giving them 7/10 to win next to 33/10 for Basel. The draw is sitting in the middle at 3/1.
Recent head-to-head: The Breisgau Brazilians won 6-0
While Freiburg and Basel have never met in one of UEFA’s competitions, they have played a total of seven friendly matches over the last two decades. Curiously, their H2H record includes three wins per side, so neither has the advantage. However, Freiburg won the most recent one 6-0 in 2024, and while it was a match with no meaning, it wouldn’t be possible without the positive work done in the German club in recent years.
Players to watch: Matanovic earned his chance
With Freiburg’s tight schedule this season, we expect Christian Streich to make more rotations between Bundesliga and EL games, and we should see some new names make the starting line-up. Igor Matanovic, for example, recently returned from injury and made his debut for Freiburg against Stuttgart, coming on in the 78th minute. In just 13 minutes, he scored a brace and led his side to a comeback win. He played only six minutes against Werder Bremen during the weekend, so we expect him to make the starting line-up for the first time since Basel.
Probable line-ups
Freiburg: Atuboli, Kubler, Ginter, Lienhart, Makengo, Osterhage, Eggestein, Beste, Grifo, Holer, Matanovic
Basel: Hitz, Tsunemoto, Vouilloz, Barisic, Schmid, Salah, Koindredi, Metinho, Otele, Shaqiri, Ajeti
Anything else catch the eye?
While Streich’s style preaches slow build-ups with few risks, all of Freiburg’s Bundesliga fixtures this season produced over 2.5 goals. And while the Breisgau Brazilians were phenomenal in the last two wins, their defence is far from complete, evidenced by the 3-1 and 4-1 defeats to lesser teams at the start of the season. This means we can expect action on both ends and at least one Basel goal, although we definitely back Freiburg to win the three points on Wednesday.
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