Preview: Hertha Berlin vs. Freiburg - prediction, team news, lineups

Hertha Berlin take on Freiburg in the Bundesliga on Thursday, with the visitors requiring a win to keep their hopes of a European qualification place alive.

Hertha, meanwhile, returned to action with a 1-1 draw against Mainz 05 on Monday after over three weeks away from the field following their COVID-19 outbreak in April.

Match preview

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While Pal Dardai and his players would have been desperate to move outside of the automatic relegation places with a victory against Mainz, avoiding defeat against a side on a seven-match unbeaten run after a considerable period since their previous match was probably a good result for Hertha.

Bo Svensson's side had dominated the early exchanges, too, with Jean-Paul Boetius and Adam Szalai both going close to scoring, before Lucas Tousart headed in Marton Dardai's teasing free-kick from the right against the run of the play.

Philipp Mwene levelled the proceedings only four minutes later with his first ever Bundesliga goal. It was quite the way to announce himself as a Bundesliga goalscorer, too, with a sumptuous strike into the top corner from the edge of the area.

Both teams had chances in a slightly cagier second half, with Karim Onisiwo denied by Alexander Schwolow at the near post, before Matheus Cunha saw his curling effort stopped by Robin Zentner.

A share of the spoils was probably a fair result in the end, but Hertha need wins on the board as soon as possible if they are to escape the drop.

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Freiburg, meanwhile, had a free week due to the DFB-Pokal semi-final's taking place, with Christian Streich's side's last match being a 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim on April 24.

Andrej Kramaric's first-half strike was cancelled out by Vincenzo Grifo's second-half penalty in an enjoyable affair, with both sides pressing hard for a winner.

Currently five points behind seventh-placed Borussia Monchengladbach, who would qualify for next season's inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League as things stand, Thursday's game in hand against Hertha represents a real opportunity for Freiburg to make a push for a European spot between now and the end of the campaign.

Moreover, they are two points ahead of 10th-placed Stuttgart, so cementing a place in the top half of the table for a second successive season will be another achievement which Streich has his eye on.

Team News

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Hertha will remain without Marvin Plattenhardt, Dodi Lukebakio and Rune Jarstein due to COVID-19.

As such, Dardai is unlikely to make any changes to the XI which performed to a decent level against Mainz, meaning Cunha and Jhon Cordoba in tandem in attack once again.

Luca Netz and Eduard Lowen are out for the rest of the season due to ankle and muscle injuries respectively.

Freiburg, meanwhile, are in the luxurious position of having no known injury or suspension issues to contend with.

Grifo is likely to come into the starting XI from the side which drew to Hoffenheim, meaning Lucas Holer and Ermedin Demirovic may compete to lead the line.

Baptiste Santamaria should also return to the midfield in place of Yannik Keitel.

Hertha Berlin possible starting lineup:
Schwolow; Klunter, Stark, Dardai; Zeefuik, Tousart, Khedira, Guendouzi, Mittelstadt; Cordoba, Cunha

Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Muller; Lienhart, Schlotterbeck, Heintz; Schmid, Santamaria, Hofler, Gunter; Sallai, Demirovic, Grifo

We say: Hertha Berlin 1-1 Freiburg

We can envisage another share of the spoils for Hertha, who have upcoming fixtures against sides around them in the table in the shape of Arminia Bielefeld, Schalke 04 and FC Koln.

While Dardai will be targeting a win against Freiburg, then, avoiding defeat as his players gain further match fitness ahead of crucial six-pointers would be no disaster.