At least on a physical level, Sunday evening should be an evenly matched contest. Just like SC, opponents Mainz 05 also come into the game with an intense Thursday night fixture behind them, with our hosts this weekend having beaten RC Strasbourg 2-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League quarter-final tie.

In terms of the sides’ willingness to run the hard yards, eighth-place Freiburg and ninth-place Mainz are generally quite evenly matched. Both teams boast near-identical stats in the Bundesliga when it comes to intensive runs and sprints. Only in total distance covered per match do Julian Schuster’s side significantly outperform their upcoming opponents, averaging almost 2.5 kilometres more per game.

Freiburg came through a historic first-ever European quarter final without any worrisome squad updates. Philipp Treu required stitches after a collision in the penalty area, but there were no serious injuries. “Aside from Max Rosenfelder and Patrick Osterhage, everyone is available to play. That is no small feat and it reflects the excellent work being done behind the scenes,” said Schuster, praising the medical department and fitness coaches.

Matanović calls for courage and self-belief

Despite the many midweek fixtures, the Freiburg coaching staff face not only a challenging task on Sunday, but also the positive dilemma of squad selection. “There is a high level of motivation as a result, and many players are rightly pushing for minutes,” said Schuster, who also spoke of “tough decisions” ahead of the weekend.

Against an in-form Mainz side, who are now nine competitive matches unbeaten, Igor Matanović says self-belief and courage will be crucial. These are qualities that SC Freiburg have also demonstrated in recent games against FC Bayern München and Celta Vigo. “If we are aggressive and energetic and make it an unpleasant game for them, then we can perform well and cause problems for any opponent,” Matanović explained.

Around 1,600 SC Freiburg fans will be travelling to Mainz, and a limited number of tickets will be available on matchday for late purchasers.

Photo: SC Freiburg