Sandhausen – Freiburg

The visitors have something to prove to their fans after the defeat in Dortmund

Teams from different football worlds will meet at the stadium with the inspiring title of Hardtwaldstadion in the German Cup 1/8 finals. Sandhausen are currently fighting for survival in the Second Bundesliga, while their opponents will be hoping to qualify for the next round of the Champions League - something that was once thought to be a fairytale for Freiburg fans. The hosts made it through to this round of the tournament with a 4-0 victory over Rehden and a penalty shoot-out against Karlsruhe. Freiburg's path was slightly more difficult. The first half of the season, Straich's charges were playing on three football fronts at once, so they could not fully devote themselves to the German Cup. In the 1/32 finals stage, Freiburg were beaten in extra time by stalwart Kaiserslautern, and in October, they also beat St Pauli after 120 minutes of play. The bookmakers saw the visitors as favourites, offering odds of around 1.50 to win. Sandhausen are considered one of the main candidates for relegation to the Third Division in the current Bundesliga II draw. The club is currently one point away from last place in the championship, but in the unique density of the bottom half of the standings goes 15th. Sandhausen are conceding a lot at Second Division level, currently third in that disappointing figure. On Friday, the club lost 0-4 to Darmstadt 98 on home soil, conceding two goals midway through the first half. Freiburg made the most of the first half of the season. The team performed well both in the European competition and in the national competition. For a very long time, the players of Streich, playing twice a week, were in the top three of the Bundesliga along with Union Berlin and Bayern. The team started the current year not to say that they have failed, but at a less powerful level. Defeats to Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund with a combined score of 1-11 brought the team back to earth. Not once this season has Freiburg lost twice in a row, their players know how to hold their own. In the upcoming meeting, Freiburg players can not only prove their professional fitness after the pogrom in Dortmund, but also reach the quarterfinals of the German Cup. They are capable of beating Sandhausen through sheer class.