In the upcoming Bundesliga clash, FC Koln, currently second-bottom in the league, hosts Freiburg at RheinEnergieStadion. Koln faces a crucial challenge as they sit seven points away from safety and realistically need maximum points from their remaining three matches to stand a chance at avoiding relegation. However, their quest will be a tough one against Freiburg, who are chasing European qualification.
Last weekend, Koln missed an opportunity to narrow the gap with third-bottom Mainz when they could only secure a draw against them. This result leaves Koln five points adrift of 16th place with three games left, and they may regret Luca Waldschmidt's missed penalty in the relegation showdown.
Throughout the season, Koln has struggled to secure wins, managing only four victories in 31 games, which is better than only relegated Darmstadt's tally of three wins. Their inconsistency in claiming maximum points has contributed to their second-bottom position, heightening the expectation of relegation at the end of the season.
The team's recent form at home also raises concerns, having lost four of their last five matches. Furthermore, they failed to score in three of those games against Werder Bremen, Bayer Leverkusen, and Darmstadt, indicating potential disappointment for supporters in the upcoming match against Freiburg.
It's uncertain whether Freiburg will essentially confirm Koln's relegation to the second division, particularly as Koln now have a reason to stay motivated for the rest of the 2023-24 season. Borussia Dortmund's win in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain has earned Germany an extra spot in next season's competition. This means that an additional Europa Conference League qualification spot will be awarded to the seventh-placed team in the Bundesliga, which is currently Freiburg.
Christian Streich's team will face stiff competition to hold onto this Europa Conference League qualification position, as teams from eighth to 11th place are all vying for it. Augsburg and Hoffenheim are just one point behind, while Heidenheim and Werder Bremen are three points adrift.
Freiburg will be confident in their ability to secure this spot, especially considering their impressive record away from home. They have won their last three away games against Bochum (2-1), Borussia Monchengladbach (3-0), and Darmstadt (1-0). Additionally, with an upcoming away game against Union Berlin on the final day of the season, Streich may prefer away fixtures over home games, as Freiburg have struggled at home, going winless in seven matches in front of their fans. Streich will likely be eager to depart on a high note by securing a continental place for the team.
Between Freiburg and Koln, there have been forty-five meetings. Of those games, the hosts have won 15 and the visitors have won 22. Between the two teams, there have been eight draws.In this series, the visitors have won three of the previous four meetings and have only lost once in the previous seven.In the last three meetings between the teams, the hosts have failed to score any goals.With just 24 goals scored so far this season, the Billy Goats are the lowest-scoring team in the German premier division.The second-highest number of goals conceded by any team in the top half of the Bundesliga standings this season is 55 by Freiburg.
