Borussia Dortmund host SC Freiburg in Bundesliga's Matchday 31 finale
Borussia Dortmund will welcome SC Freiburg to the Westfalenstadion on Sunday in the final fixture of the Bundesliga's 31st matchday, with kick-off scheduled for 17:30 CET. The encounter sees a Dortmund side aiming to solidify second place face a Freiburg team currently enjoying a strong run of form, despite the hosts' historical dominance in this fixture.
Dortmund's primary objective for the remainder of the season is to secure the runners-up spot, a position that cannot be taken for granted with RB Leipzig having closed the gap to five points. Edin Terzic's side suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time this campaign last weekend, a 2-1 loss to Hoffenheim following a setback against Stuttgart. The club will be looking to rediscover momentum against a familiar opponent, having won seven of the last eight meetings between the two sides.
Team news presents a significant challenge for Dortmund, according to the preview. Karim Adeyemi is set to miss the match with muscular problems, joining an injury list that includes Emre Can, Felix Nmecha, and Niklas Süle. The predicted lineup suggests Gregor Kobel will start in goal behind a back three of Waldemar Anton, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Ramy Bensebaini. Julian Ryerson and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are tipped for the wing-back roles, flanking a midfield of Marcel Sabitzer and Jude Bellingham, with Maximilian Beier and Carney Chukwuemeka supporting striker André Silva in attack.
Freiburg arrive in the Ruhr region following a demanding schedule, having played 120 minutes in a DFB-Pokal semi-final defeat to Bayern Munich on Thursday. Prior to that disappointment, Julian Schuster's team had been in impressive form, with a six-game winning run across all competitions that included progress in the Europa League. Their league form has kept them in contention for European qualification, currently sitting ninth but within striking distance of the places that may yield an extra European berth.
The visitors' task is historically difficult, however, as they have not won at Dortmund's home ground since October 2001. Schuster is expected to have a near-full squad to choose from, with only Max Rosenfelder and Patrick Osterhage ruled out through injury. The predicted Freiburg lineup shows Noah Atubolu in goal behind a back four of Kiliann Sildillia, Matthias Ginter, Omer Ogbus, and Christian Günter. A midfield double-pivot of Yannik Eggestein and Hugo Manzambi is forecast, supporting an attacking trio of Shinta Irié, Ritsu Doan, and Merlin Röhl, with Lucas Höler leading the line.
The match carries different implications for each club's season finale. For Dortmund, a victory is crucial to reassert control over second place and build confidence ahead of their UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Paris Saint-Germain. For Freiburg, the focus is on bouncing back from cup heartbreak and maintaining their push for a European finish, which would salvage a solid campaign from their current mid-table position. The clash represents a test of Dortmund's ability to handle injury adversity and Freiburg's capacity to recover from a physically and emotionally draining week.
