Freiburg and West Ham United square off on Thursday evening both looking to make it successive victories in the Europa League group stages.

The Bundesliga and Premier League outfits both overcame adversity to edge out Olympiacos and Backa Topola in their opening fixtures in Group A.

Match preview

Much has been made of the starts of various teams in the Premier League this season, but West Ham's is one that cannot be criticised, either domestically or on the continent.

Their only defeats have come to Manchester City and Liverpool, with David Moyes's side winning the remainder of their other six matches in all competitions since August 20.

That has come at a time when West Ham remain in somewhat of a transitional period, their vulnerability shown when they went behind to Backa Topola on matchday one.

However, West Ham rallied from behind to post a 3-1 victory at the London Stadium, with Mohammed Kudus netting his first two efforts since joining from Ajax.

West Ham have since posted wins and clean sheets against Lincoln City and Sheffield United ahead of making the trip to Germany this week.

Since the start of 2023-24, Freiburg have not consistently looked like the team that came agonisingly close to securing Champions League football last season.

Nine goals were conceded to Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund either side of the international break, but Christian Streich has since witnessed his team show their character in the following three matches.

Freiburg withstood a comeback from Olympiacos to run out 3-2 winners in Greece before a goalless draw was then posted at the home of Eintracht Frankfurt.

A second clean sheet in succession came during a 2-0 triumph over Augsburg at the weekend, moving the club into eighth position and keeping them within six points of leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

Team News

Freiburg will be forced into one change from the weekend after Yannik Keitel needed to be withdrawn after just 20 minutes against Augsburg.

Merlin Rohl replaced him on that occasion and is in line to feature in midfield, and minimal further alterations are expected given the standard of the opponent.

Defender Kenneth Schmidt is an option to come into a back three, while Maximilian Philipp and Junior Adamu are alternatives in attack.

Second-choice goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski will feature between the sticks for West Ham, but Moyes may opt against the mass changes that occurred in their first European fixture of the season.

Alterations are still expected, however, with Thilo Kehrer, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Kudus and Said Benrahma all in contention to feature.

Edson Alvarez has served the suspension that kept him out of the fixture against Backa Topola.

Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Atubolu; Sildillia, Ginter, Lienhart; Sallai, Rohl, Eggestein, Kubler; Doan, Holer, Grito

West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Fabianski; Kehrer, Zouma, Mavropanos, Emerson; Alvarez, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta; Kudus, Antonio, Benrahma

We say: Freiburg 2-2 West Ham United

While Freiburg have been far from perfect in the league during 2023-24, they have the quality to make an impact in this competition. West Ham may start as the marginal favourites, but he feel that the home side will do enough to earn a share of the spoils in an entertaining tussle.


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