With just three matches left in the 2025/26 Bundesliga season, SC Freiburg find themselves in a thrilling battle for European qualification. Currently sitting in 8th place with a 12-7-12 record, Julian Schuster's side is locked on 43 points with Eintracht Frankfurt, though goal differential currently favors their rivals for the Conference League spot.

The schedule has been relentless for Freiburg, who are competing in a major European semifinal for the first time in club history. Playing matches with just four days between them has taken its toll, resulting in three consecutive defeats across different competitions. A heartbreaking DFB-Pokal semifinal exit came in the final minute against VfB Stuttgart (1-2), followed by a heavy 0-4 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the league, and another last-gasp 1-2 defeat in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League semifinals against Portugal's SC Braga.

But there's reason for optimism. History favors the Breisgau-Brasilianer, who have won seven of their last ten Bundesliga meetings with Wolfsburg (7-3-0), with all of the last three encounters decided by a single goal (3-2, 1-0, 4-3). Freiburg's counterattacking prowess is also noteworthy—they've scored 42 goals this season, one more than Wolfsburg, though with ten fewer assists (23).

Home advantage could be decisive. Freiburg boast the sixth-best home record in the Bundesliga, collecting 28 of their 43 points at Europa-Park-Stadion (8-4-3) with a +8 goal differential (28-20). Wolfsburg, meanwhile, have managed just 15 points on the road (4-3-8) with a concerning -15 goal differential (20-35).

In a remarkable statistical quirk, Freiburg are the only Bundesliga team not to have conceded a single penalty this season. Goalkeeper Noah Atubolu has faced just one spot-kick all year, saving it from Werder Bremen's Romano Schmid. Wolfsburg's story is entirely different—they've faced 11 penalties, with Kamil Grabara saving seven, watching one sail wide, and conceding only three.

German center-back Max Rosenfelder remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, but the squad's depth will be tested as they push for European glory on multiple fronts.