RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Match Preview
The Bundesliga returns to the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, as RB Leipzig host SC Freiburg in a pivotal mid-week clash. The hosts, currently sitting 3rd with 29 points, are looking to shake off a slump that saw them lose back-to-back games against Leverkusen and Union Berlin before the break. Marco Rose’s side needs a win to keep their title hopes alive and stay within touching distance of Bayern Munich.
SC Freiburg, meanwhile, travel to Saxony in high spirits. Currently 8th with 23 points, they have found form at the right time, unbeaten in their last four league games and fresh off a 2–1 victory over Hamburger SV. With Leipzig’s defense looking shaky (conceding 6 goals in their last 2 games) and Freiburg’s attack firing, the visitors will sense an opportunity to pull off an upset and climb into the European places.
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Match Info
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 17)
- Venue: Red Bull Arena, Leipzig (Capacity: 47,800)
- Date: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
- Kickoff: 20:30 CET | 19:30 GMT | 14:30 ET
- Referee: Robert Hartmann (GER)
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Match Stakes
RB Leipzig (3rd — 29 pts):
- Win → Moves to 32 pts; stabilizes their top-4 status and snaps a two-game losing streak.
- Draw → A disappointing result at home; allows Dortmund/Leverkusen to potentially widen the gap.
- Loss → A crisis scenario; 3 consecutive defeats would put huge pressure on the manager and risk dropping to 4th or 5th.
Freiburg (8th — 23 pts):
- Win → Moves to 26 pts; a massive statement win that could propel them into the top 6.
- Draw → A valuable away point against a Champions League side; keeps the unbeaten run alive.
- Loss → Stalls their momentum; keeps them mid-table but still in the hunt for Europe.
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Team News
RB Leipzig:
- Henrichs B. — Out (Achilles Tendon Injury – Season Threatening)
- Bakayoko J. — Out (Calf Injury)
- Klostermann L. — Out (Illness)
- Gebel V. — Out (Knee Injury)
- Lineup Note: With Henrichs and Klostermann out, young Serbian full-back Kosta Nedeljkovic gets a huge opportunity. The attack features the exciting pace of Antonio Nusa and Conrad Harder.
Freiburg:
- Lienhart P. — Out (Abdominal Strain – Defensive Leader Missing)
- Kyereh D. — Out (Lacking Match Fitness)
- Dinkci E. — Questionable (Muscle Injury)
- Rosenfelder M. — Questionable (Muscle Injury)
- Tactical Shift: Without Lienhart, Matthias Ginter will need to marshal the backline alongside Anthony Jung. New midfield additions like Patrick Osterhage and Yuito Suzuki are expected to start.
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
RB Leipzig
- 20/12 — 1–3 vs Bayer Leverkusen (Bundesliga)
- 13/12 — 1–3 vs Union Berlin (Bundesliga)
- 06/12 — 6–0 vs Eintracht Frankfurt (Bundesliga)
- 03/12 — 3–1 vs Magdeburg (DFB Pokal)
- 29/11 — 0–0 vs M’Gladbach (Bundesliga)
Freiburg
- 10/01 — 2–1 vs Hamburger SV (Bundesliga)
- 20/12 — 4–3 vs Wolfsburg (Bundesliga)
- 14/12 — 1–1 vs Dortmund (Bundesliga)
- 12/12 — 1–0 vs Salzburg (Europa League)
- 06/12 — 1–2 vs Heidenheim (Bundesliga)
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 08/03/2025 — Freiburg 0–0 RB Leipzig (Bundesliga)
- 26/10/2024 — RB Leipzig 3–1 Freiburg (Bundesliga)
- 06/04/2024 — Freiburg 1–4 RB Leipzig (Bundesliga)
- 13/11/2023 — RB Leipzig 3–1 Freiburg (Bundesliga)
- 06/05/2023 — Freiburg 0–1 RB Leipzig (Bundesliga)
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
RB Leipzig (4-2-2-2)
Gulacsi; Raum, Lukeba, Orban, Nedeljkovic; Schlager, Seiwald; Nusa, Baumgartner; Diomande, Harder
Freiburg (4-2-3-1)
Atubolu; Gunter, Jung, Ginter, Kubler; Osterhage, Eggestein; Grifo, Suzuki, Treu; Holer
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Impact Bench
RB Leipzig: Sesko (Goal threat), Openda (Pace against tired legs), Simons (Creativity)
Freiburg: Gregoritsch (Aerial threat), Doan (Dribbling skill)
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Tactical Analysis
RB Leipzig
Leipzig usually play a high-intensity pressing game, but recent results suggest they are vulnerable on the counter. Without Henrichs, their right side could be targeted by Freiburg’s captain Christian Günter. Leipzig will look to control the midfield through Xaver Schlager and release Antonio Nusa quickly to isolate Freiburg’s center-backs.
Freiburg
Freiburg are the masters of efficiency. They will likely sit deep and look to hit Leipzig on the break, utilizing Vincenzo Grifo’s set-piece delivery and Lucas Höler’s work rate upfront. The absence of Philipp Lienhart is a worry; if Leipzig press high, Freiburg’s makeshift defense might struggle to play out from the back.
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Key Battles
- Harder vs Ginter — Leipzig’s young striker vs Freiburg’s experienced WC winner.
- Grifo vs Nedeljkovic — The veteran winger will look to exploit the inexperienced Leipzig right-back.
- Schlager vs Eggestein — The battle for second balls in the middle of the park.
- Gulacsi vs Set-Pieces — Freiburg are dangerous from corners; Gulacsi must command his box.
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Spotlight Players
RB Leipzig — Antonio Nusa
The Norwegian winger is electric. In a game where Freiburg might sit deep, his ability to beat a man 1v1 and create chaos in the box will be crucial to breaking the deadlock.
Freiburg — Vincenzo Grifo
The Italian playmaker is the heartbeat of this Freiburg team. With 6 goals and assists this season, he is the man most likely to unlock the Leipzig defense or score a stunning free-kick.
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Prediction
RB Leipzig 2–2 Freiburg
Leipzig are desperate to win, but their recent form (conceding 3 goals vs Leverkusen and Union) is alarming. Freiburg are confident, scoring goals for fun (4 vs Wolfsburg, 2 vs Hamburg). This has the makings of a high-scoring thriller where Leipzig’s quality upfront is matched by their defensive fragility.
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Betting Insights
- Over 2.5 Goals — High Probability (Leipzig defense leaking; Freiburg scoring freely).
- Both Teams to Score — YES.
- Double Chance — Freiburg or Draw (Value Bet given current form).
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — Where to Watch
- Germany: Sky Sport Bundesliga
- USA: ESPN+
- UK: Sky Sports Football
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg — FAQs
Q: When is the RB Leipzig vs Freiburg match?
A: The match kicks off on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, at 20:30 CET.
Q: Is Benjamin Henrichs playing?
A: No. He is out with a serious Achilles tendon injury.
Q: Who is the favorite?
A: RB Leipzig are favorites due to home advantage and squad depth, but recent form makes this a tricky tie.
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