Match Overview

The 2nd round Bundesliga match between Köln and Freiburg is scheduled for August 31st at the RheinEnergieStadion. This preview provides an in-depth look at the forecast, betting odds, and statistics for the Köln vs. Freiburg encounter.

Köln

Team Form: FC Köln’s Season Start

Under the guidance of Lukas Kwasniok, FC Köln secured a 1-0 away victory against Mainz in their opening match of the season. This win marks only their third triumph in their last 15 Bundesliga fixtures, a period that also saw them draw six and lose six. Notably, this was only the second time in this challenging run that the team managed to keep a clean sheet. With three points, Köln currently sits in seventh place in the league standings.

Köln’s Home Performance Insights

• FC Köln has struggled at home, failing to win in 10 of their last 13 Bundesliga matches on their own turf (4 draws, 6 losses).
• The club’s players have scored a maximum of one goal in 5 of their last 7 home league games.
• No more than two goals were scored in 9 of Köln’s last 13 home Bundesliga encounters.

Predicted Starting Lineup for Köln (3-4-3)*

Marvin Schwäbe – Joël Schmid, Timo Hübers, Tom Krauss – Sebastian Sebulonsen, Eric Martel, Ísak Jóhannesson, Kristoffer Lund Hansen – Jakub Kamiński, Marius Bülter, Jan Thielmann.

Freiburg

Team Form: SC Freiburg’s Initial Setback

Julian Schuster’s squad experienced a 1-3 home defeat against Augsburg in their opening fixture. This marks Freiburg’s second consecutive loss in the Bundesliga. Despite these setbacks, the club has extended its scoring streak in the league to ten matches. However, they have conceded at least two goals in each of their last four Bundesliga outings. Freiburg currently finds itself in the bottom quarter of the league table.

Freiburg’s Away Performance Trends

• Freiburg boasts an impressive away record, remaining undefeated in their last seven Bundesliga matches on the road (5 wins, 2 draws).
• The team has consistently scored either one or two goals in 6 of their last 7 away league games.
• Freiburg has conceded no more than one goal in 6 of their last 7 Bundesliga away fixtures.

Predicted Starting Lineup for Freiburg (4-5-1)*

Noah Atubolu – Christian Günter, Philipp Lienhart, Matthias Ginter, Lukas Kübler – Vincenzo Grifo, Johan Manzambi, Yuito Suzuki, Maximilian Eggestein, Eren Dinkçi – Lucas Höler.

Injury Update

Defenders Max Rosenfelder and Philipp Treu, along with forward Igor Matanović, are unavailable due to injuries.

Match Official: Tobias Reichel

Tobias Reichel (Germany)

Referee Statistics (Bundesliga 2024/25)

Matches officiated – 13 (Bundesliga, 2024/25);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 56;

Average yellow cards per match – 4.3;

Red cards shown – 2;

Average fouls per match – 26;

Penalties awarded – 46%.

Match Prediction: Köln vs Freiburg

Home Team Analysis: Köln’s Challenge

While the hosts commenced their current campaign with a victory, securing a second consecutive win appears to be a difficult task for them, in my opinion. During their last stint in the Bundesliga, Köln’s home form was less than convincing: they managed only three wins from their last 13 home league matches, suffering six defeats and four draws over this period. Furthermore, the team failed to score in seven of these encounters.

Away Team Analysis: Freiburg’s Strong Road Form

Freiburg, on the other hand, frequently collects points on the road, boasting a 7-match unbeaten streak in away Bundesliga fixtures (5 wins, 2 draws). Impressively, they kept a clean sheet in four of these matches. It’s also worth noting that Freiburg remained undefeated in their two most recent head-to-head encounters at Köln’s home ground in the league (1 win, 1 draw), conceding no goals in either game.

Final Prediction

I anticipate that Julian Schuster’s men will contend for the maximum result in this fixture. My prediction is:  Freiburg Asian Handicap (0) with odds of 1.95

Important Note

* The listed starting lineups for each team reflect their formations in their previous match in this tournament.