Match Preview: Borussia Dortmund Visit Freiburg in the Black Forest

Borussia Dortmund and the Bundesliga return! After a fairly lackluster international break that saw the club hurdle towards imminent managerial implosion, your regularly scheduled program resumes. Tomorrow, Borussia Dortmund play Freiburg at 9:30am EST and will be looking to get back on track from a very disappointing start to the season. Borrusia Dortmund have collected a measly five points from the first three games, including a demoralizing 2-2 tie against Heidenheim last match week . This places everyone at the club under the microscope, and we will, hopefully, see some changes in intensity tomorrow. Borussia Dortmund will be missing Mateu Morey, Thomas Meunier, and Niclas Fullkrug.

While it’s still early in the campaign, Freiburg are directly above Dortmund in the table and have two wins and one loss, including a shocking 5-0 defeat to Stuttgart on match day 3. Christian Streich’s side will be looking to bounce back from that defeat, and have no reasons to suggest that they can’t beat Borussia Dortmund in the Black Forest. I’m expecting a close match as these two teams with a lot to prove face off. Despite Dortmund’s worse point total, they have a better goal difference and have managed to score in every match thus far. Freiburg haven’t looked sharp in attack and conceded five goals in their last competitive gaming. Do I expect to see the pinacle of Bundesliga soccer? Absolutely not.

Player to Watch: Roland Sallai

Photo by Markus Gilliar - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images

If I was a real journalist, I would've picked Maximillian Philipp and give you six paragraphs on his return to Borussia Dortmund at the end of his journeyman career. I’ve gone for Roland Sallai instead. He has three goals and two assist in his last six games for club and country. Over the international break, he recorded a goal against the Czech republic and got an assist against Serbia. He is easily Freiburg’s most in form and arguably their most talented player at the moment. It will be up to Bensebaini and... whoever Dortmund round up to play right-back to keep tabs on the Hungarian winger.

Predicted Lineup

Here’s what I have gone with for tomorrow. I think Haller will be dropped this game after his abysmal performance against Heidenheim. Additionally, I think Terzic is feeling the fire under his seat and will try and change things up. Adeyemi will be dropped for Reyna and the midfield will stay the same. I’d love to see someone else play rightback after Wolf’s recent performances but, unfortunately, Bella-Kotchap is playing in Eindhoven instead of Freiburg tomorrow. I’ve opted to not include Reus because he’s better off in the middle and, quite frankly, older than the Black Forest itself.

My Prediction

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten one of these right so I’ll say a 5-4 victory with all nine goals coming from set pieces.