On Saturday evening, Koln and Freiburg go head-to-head at the RheinEnergieStadion in a game that could have significant implications for the home team’s Bundesliga status.
The Billy Goats are in major troubleThe home team enters this game with a significant challenge ahead, trailing seven points from the safety of 15th place in the Bundesliga table.
With only three games left in the German top flight, the pressure is on. Perhaps more crucially, they are five points away from the relegation play-off spot.
A 1-1 draw at relegation rivals Mainz means that Koln have won just one of their previous 11 games in the Bundesliga. The encounter was another Koln match short on goals, as four of their last league matches have produced under 2.5 goals.
Koln’s recent woeful home record has played a major part in their lowly position, as the Billy Goats have lost four of their last five league games on home soil.
Streich is looking to go out with a European qualificationWith just three games remaining of Christian Streich’s stewardship of the club, Freiburg are in seventh place and five points behind sixth-place Eintracht Frankfurt in the race for European football.
The team from the Black Forest will be hoping to secure continental qualification in honour of their long-serving boss.
Unfortunately for everybody connected with the club, their recent results in the Bundesliga have not been great.
They were beaten 2-1 at home by Wolfsburg last time out, meaning they have recorded just one win in their previous four matches in the Bundesliga.
The visitor’s recent league outings have at least produced goals, with over 2.5 goals scored in 12 of their last 14 matches.
One positive for Streich’s team of late has been their away form, as Freiburg has recorded three consecutive wins in the Bundesliga.
What am I backing?Both teams need points to help them achieve their season objective in the Bundesliga. I don’t think there will be much difference between the teams, but I am backing the visitors to record a narrow away win.
