Freiburg – Nantes : Preview & Prediction
For the first time, Freiburg face a French side in European competition and do so looking to extend their impressive 100 per cent win record in this UEFA Europa League (UEL) when they take on Nantes. The Group G leaders are enjoying a tremendous start to the campaign and their 2-1 win over Mainz at the weekend took them level on points at the Bundesliga summit with Union Berlin, while they are now six games unbeaten (G4, E2) in the league.
It is hard to find holes in the Freiburg defence, which has kept five clean sheets in its last eight competitive matches (G6, E2). Even when they do concede goals, the team knows how to overcome with goals, and if they do so here they will put one foot in the knockout phase of the UEL, a stage they have never reached before in their history.
If Freiburg go into the game with confidence, Nantes certainly won’t, coming as they do on the back of a 4-1 thrashing at Monaco last Sunday. They have just one win in nine league games (E4, P4) and are struggling to avoid relegation from Ligue 1, although perhaps continental football will take some of the pressure off.
A tight schedule playing Thursdays and Sundays may be costing Nantes dearly, but fatigue cannot be the only reason for their current run that also includes a 3-0 defeat to Qarabag. The “Canaries” are not flying high away from home in their last few games (E2, P4) and, to make matters worse, the team possesses that same record in their last six European away games.
Players to watch: After two games, no UEL player has had more shots on target than Freiburg’s Michael Gregoritsch, and it is worth noting that he has scored all of his goals this season during the first 60 minutes of play. Moses Simon is the only Nantes player to have scored in 257 minutes of action away from home and two of his three goals this year were his side’s last.
Key stat: Nantes have never drawn in their history in this competition, which is considered Europe’s second most important continental club competition (G8, E2).
Freiburg – Nantes : Betting Tips
Freiburg – Win Odds: 1.45
