Arminia Bielefeld vs Freiburg

Schüco Arena serves as a host venue as Arminia Bielefeld and Freiburg go head-to-head in their 2021/22 Bundesliga opener.

Arminia Bielefeld defied the odds last season to avoid the relegation play-off spot by a mere two points and preserve a top-flight status in their first Bundesliga campaign since 2008/09. Replicating that feat this time around could be rather daunting, considering the club’s lack of effort in the transfer window. Bielefeld’s hopes of making a flying start do look sharp, as they’ve lost their opening match of a new Bundesliga season just once in seven attempts in the 21st century (W2, D4). An average of 3.8 goals scored/conceded across Bielefeld’s last five Bundesliga openers suggests we could be in for a high-scoring spectacle. Another good omen exists here, though, as ‘Die Arminen‘ have netted an average of 1.6 goals per game versus Freiburg, more than against any other current top-tier opposition.

In the meantime, Freiburg’s inability to maintain consistency week in, week out saw them finish tenth in the standings last season, scoring and conceding 52 goals apiece. The visitors should be bracing themselves for another mid-table tussle after failing to land a single new signing in the ongoing transfer window. That said, ‘Breisgau-Brasilianer‘ remain one of just three sides, alongside Dortmund and Leipzig, to win the opening game in the last two top-flight seasons. Before that run of victories, they had gone 11 consecutive Matchday 1 fixtures without a victory in the Bundesliga. A trip to Bielefeld could stir some painful memories within the traveling camp, as Freiburg have lost all four away Bundesliga meetings with this opposition by an aggregate scoreline of 8-2.