Friday, March 2, 2012

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03.03. (Sat) 15:30 Freiburg - Schalke 04

Germany: FC Schalke 04, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
VI-Images


 PROBABLE LINEUPS

FREIBURG


Baumann
Sorg, Diagne, Hohn, Lumb
Rosenthal, Makiadi, Flum, Schmid
Santini, Jendrisek

SCHALKE

Hildebrand
Howedes, Papadopoulos, Matip, Fuchs
Hoger, Jones
Fafan, Raul, Draxler
Huntelaar

To add to the problems surrounding their Bundesliga status, Freiburg will be without several players for Schalke's visit. Oliver Barth will be unavailable with a knee injury, while Pavel Krmas and Simon Brandstetter are nursing hamstring and groin problems respectively.

Mensure Mujdza is in advanced training, but is not sufficiently fit to line up against the title challengers.

The major headache for Huub Stevens is whether Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is available to start after sustaining an injury in midweek. The Dutchman collided with Chris Smalling during his country's friendly win over England and left the pitch soon afterwards. However, should there be any chance that he is fit, he will surely start.

Elsewhere, Christoph Metzelder is out with a hamstring problem, while Christoph Moritz has a back injury. Timo Hildebrand will continue in goal, thanks to the long-term absence of both Lars Unnerstall and Ralf Fahrmann.

DID YOU KNOW

  • Freiburg have won just one of their last 11 Bundesliga games, but have drawn five times in that span.
  • Erik Jendrisek endured an unhappy half-season spell at Schalke before moving on to Freiburg in January 2011.
  • Germany coach Joachim Low remains Freiburg's all time top scorer, having scored 81 goals in 252 games across three spells at the club.
  • Klaas-Jan Huntelaar became Schalke's highest ever scorer in European competition during his side's Europa League victory over Viktoria Plzen.
  • Huub Stevens' men have scored more goals from corners than any other team in the Bundesliga this season.
  • The Ruhr club are unbeaten against Freiburg since 2003 - when they lost 2-1 at the Mage Solar Stadion.
Prediction
It's fair to assume that last weekend's defeat to Bayern Munich was nothing more than a blip in what has otherwise been an extraordinary season for the Schalke. Freiburg seem to be a sinking ship at the moment, and I'd expect the visitors to come away with a convincing victory at Mage Solar Stadion, and further strengthen their grip on a Champions League place.
Editor's Prediction
SC Freiburg 0-3 Schalke