Dortmund and Freiburg Set for Bundesliga Clash Amidst Injury Concerns
Borussia Dortmund host SC Freiburg at the Westfalenstadion on Sunday in the Bundesliga's Matchday 31 finale, with both sides seeking a result for differing reasons. The match, scheduled for a 17:30 CET kick-off, sees a Dortmund team aiming to solidify second place face a Freiburg side riding a wave of strong recent form.
Dortmund's primary objective is to secure their position in the table, with RB Leipzig having closed the gap to five points. The mood around the club, however, has been dampened by consecutive league defeats for the first time this season, including a controversial 2-1 loss to Hoffenheim last weekend. Historical dominance over Freiburg, with seven wins in the last eight meetings, provides a glimmer of optimism for Edin Terzic's side.
Their task is complicated by a growing injury list. According to team news, Karim Adeyemi joins Emre Can, Felix Nmecha, and Niklas Süle as confirmed absentees for the fixture. The predicted lineup suggests Gregor Kobel in goal, protected by a back three of Waldemar Anton, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Ramy Bensebaini. Julian Ryerson and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are tipped for wing-back roles, with Marcel Sabitzer and Jude Bellingham in central midfield, supporting an attacking trio of Maximilian Beier, Carney Chukwuemeka, and André Silva.
Freiburg arrive in the Ruhr Valley following a demanding schedule, having played 120 minutes in a DFB-Pokal semi-final defeat to VfB Stuttgart on Thursday. Despite that cup heartbreak, their overall form has been impressive, losing only to Bayern Munich in their last seven matches across all competitions. This run has kept them in contention for European qualification, currently sitting sixth, nine points behind Bayer Leverkusen.
Manager Julian Schuster faces the challenge of rallying his squad after the physical and emotional toll of midweek. His team news is comparatively brighter, with only Max Rosenfelder and Patrick Osterhage ruled out. The predicted lineup indicates Noah Atubolu returning in goal behind a back four of Lukas Kübler, Matthias Ginter, Ogbus, and Christian Günter. The midfield is expected to feature Nicolas Höfler and Manzambi as a double pivot, with Irié, Suzuki, and Scherhant ahead of them in support of striker Lucas Höler.
The match presents a classic contrast: a Dortmund side seeking to rediscover consistency and fend off a late-season challenge for second place, against a resilient Freiburg team fighting for European football and looking to exploit potential fatigue. A Freiburg victory at Dortmund's home ground would be a significant achievement, their last win there dating back to October 2001.
