Trabzonspor – Freiburg: Preview
We have the lineups for the match between Trabzonspor and Freiburg in the third round of the group stage of the 2026/27 Conference League. In the third round of the Conference League, representatives from Turkey and Germany will face each other. "Trabzonspor" is determined to continue its winning streak, while "Freiburg" has its own plans for the exit.
Key KPI
Trabzonspor
1. Thomas Risse with Trabzonspor only wins
The German specialist joined the club in mid‑September, before the match against "Galatasaray", and not only demolished the giant 4:0, but continues to win. In the "bordo‑azules"’s active, the streak of seven matches with a total of 21:5. In the last rounds of the Super League they beat "Rizespor" 4:3 and "Gaziantep" 2:0. In the competition they occupy third place, only three points behind the leader.
In the Conference League the Turks have a 100 % performance, starting with victories over "KUPS" 4:2 and "Hartz" 2:0. The home attack is stable and productive, and the defence rarely makes mistakes.
2. In Europe Trabzonspor rotates, despite the saturation of the injury list
The game and results of the home side impress even more if you look at their injury list. Due to injuries, the team cannot count on Ruslan Malinovski, Arseny Batagov and Okay Yokushlu, who have been injured for a long time. Last week they were joined by Francklin Joo and Doguhan Şimşir. In addition, Sidney Cabral is suspended, adding six potential first‑team players. Fortunately, in the previous round, Pol Onuachu returned to the field after an injury and Tim Zabal‑Folkerelli regained form. The other leaders are in the lineup, but in Europe opportunities are gained with rotation players: the central axis of defence and midfield are formed by Samet Akaydin, Jenk Özçajar, Benjamin Bouchouari and Batista Mendi. In both Conference League matches they started in the first half, and now we expect them from the first minute.
3. Trabzonspor is on the move, scores a lot and wins consistently at home
The winning streak of the "bordo‑azules" under Thomas Risse speaks better of their form. On average, the team scores three goals per match and concedes about one. On their own ground, Trabzonspor always plays with confidence and stability. Currently, in their active, they have six consecutive home wins in all competitions with a total of 17:1. The team has not conceded at home since 23 August, over five matches (521 minutes), and the streak continues. That is, they play balanced, score a lot and maintain discipline at their own goal, something rare among Turkish teams.
Freiburg
1. Freiburg quickly overcame the dip
The Germans had a bad mid‑October, suffering three consecutive defeats with a total of 2:8. As subsequent results show, it was a dip, not a crisis. In recent matches, "Freiburg" won against "Wolfsburg" 3:2 and "Augsburg" 1:2. In the Bundesliga, the Brazilians of Brühl with 16 points are in third place, just two points behind the leaders.
In the Conference League, the visitors started with a win over "Yablonets" 3:2, but in the second round at home they were decisively beaten by "Monaco" 0:3. The squad’s chances for the playoffs are high, but one cannot relax.
2. There are injuries, but they are not critical
In the next match, the teammates of defenders Berkay Yilmaz and Philipp Troi will not be able to help. The other players are in the lineup, and only the coach’s decision determines the team’s composition. There is a high probability that Max Rosenfelder, Christian Günter and Patrick Österhague will start; they are the main players in European competitions, while in the Bundesliga they are used as substitutes. Regarding the attack, Julian Schuster can also give rest to the main attackers, leaving Siryak Irié and Keisuke Goto to start. In the last league game, both came on as substitutes and stood out with a goal and an assist. Therefore, they deserve the chance to show themselves in Europe.
3. Weak defensive play and lack of performance away
Freiburg concedes in the last eight matches in all competitions, and in six encounters received at least two balls. It is difficult to trust the defence for stable performance. Moreover, the away statistics worsen: in the last 11 away matches, the team suffered five defeats, two draws and four wins. In 10 of 11 matches, the Germans conceded.
Estimated lineups
4-3-3 4-2-4 1-2-4
