SC Freiburg visit TSG Hoffenheim on Sunday. There is no winner in the match between the Baden clubs.
SC Freiburg and their coach Christian Streich will take their winning streak with them into the two-week break in the Bundesliga. Following a 0-0 draw in a rainy Baden duel at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Sunday night, the Europa League side are now unbeaten in seven games in all competitions and sit third in the table behind 1. FC Union Berlin and Borussia. Dortmund. Head coach André Breitenreiter’s TSG team is one point behind their national rivals in fourth place.
However, at the end of the seventh matchday in front of 24,233 spectators in Sinsheim, Freiburg lost their fourth away win of the season, just as Hoffenheim lost their fourth home win.
The same starting number for captain Christian Günter
Three days after the Europa League 3-0 at Olympiakos Piraeus, Streich (“We can change”) relied on the same starting nine around captain Christian Günter as last time in the Greek champions and 0-0 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach. In Hoffenheim, former Leipzig Angelino returned to the left wing, also because Robert Skov was injured.
In the lively early stage, two goalkeepers managed to shine: Freiburg’s goalkeeper Mark Flekken saved Grischa Prömel twice (11./20.). TSG keeper Oliver Baumann prevented an early deficit against Ritsu Doan and his former club (16′). It was the 32-year-old’s 400th Bundesliga appearance – only Bayern aces Manuel Neuer (472) and Thomas Müller (421) have more Bundesliga appearances among current players. In the end, Baumann kept a clean sheet for the 100th time.
Zealous people of Breisgau
The people of Breisgau fired eagerly at every opportunity: when Daniel Kofi Kyereh and Günter tried, the ball whizzed just past the Hoffenheim goal. Time and time again, Freiburg gave the impression that they know their running paths very well and thus gained more and more weight in midfield. Hoffenheim’s playmaker Christoph Baumgartner had to fall behind again and again to get a chance.
Günter’s check on the Austrian international caused a stir early in the second half, but only resulted in a yellow card for the SC captain. Both teams continued to battle hard for attrition but hardly created any chances.