(Football news) Freiburg aims to overturn a slender 1-0 deficit and reach the Europa League quarter-finals as they host Juventus. The Old Lady are more accustomed to the Champions league but having established a lead as they will now try to finish the job in the second leg. Freiburg rallied a little towards the end of proceedings as they returned to the Black Forest after a 1-0 defeat. While Juventus will be rueing the missed chances as they could have added further to Angel Di Maria’s decisive strike.
Freiburg have been disappointing in front of goal as they have scored a modest 14 goals in 11 games in 2023, having spent the first half of the season keeping pace with Germany’s top-four contenders for the title. Ritsu Doan’s 89th-minute goal secured a crucial win against Hoffenheim at the weekend.
Christian Streich’s side sit fifth in the Bundesliga standings and are well set for European football next season. They are also 11 games unbeaten at home in the league. Streich is the longest serving manager in Europe and has been in post for 11 years now as he recently extended his contract again. Die Breisgauer have never lost the second leg of a UEFA knockout tie at Europa-Park Stadion and hopefully reach a continental quarter-final.
Juve’s Di Maria followed up his hat-trick against Nantes in the playoff round with a goal against Freiburg last Thursday at the Allianz Stadium. Streich praised the World Cup winner after the game and despite being 35, Di Maria is hungry for more silverware. With his team losing out on the Scudetto, Juve’s only chance for a trophy lies in the cups competitions. In addition to reaching the Coppa Italia semi-finals, Juventus are also targeting glory in the Europa League. After a hard fought 4-2 win over Sampdoria on Sunday.
Juve are currently 7th in the Serie A standings after their 15 points deduction as their best route into the Champions League is by winning the Europa League. With a one-goal lead and having just lost one of their last nine matches against German clubs as well as winning each of the last three matches in a row without conceding, they are clear favorites to make the quarter-finals. Juve have progressed from each of their last nine UEFA knockout ties when they are leading the first leg, last time they failed was in the 2010 Europa League last 16 against Fulham, when they were memorably beaten 4-1 by Roy Hodgson’s side.
Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Kubler, Gulde, Ginter, Gunter; Eggestein, Hofler; Doan, Gregoritsch, Grifo; Holer
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Danilo, Bremer, Sandro; Cuadrado, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Di Maria; Vlahovic
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