- Both teams have scored in seven of Freiburg's previous nine matches
- West Ham have conceded in eight of their last 10 away games
- Recommended bet: Over 2.5 goals

West Ham will look to get the better of Freiburg for the third time this season when the two teams collide in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie at the Europa-Park Stadion.

The Hammers won both meetings in Group A earlier in the campaign, which meant they progressed straight through to the last-16, while Freiburg had to beat Lens in the play-offs.

Team news

Freiburg boss Christian Streich is still without Daniel Kofi-Kyereh, Max Rosenfelder, Lukas Kubler and Kenneth Schmidt due to injuries.

Philipp Lienhart is available after shaking off a groin injury, but he has spent two months on the sidelines and may start on the bench while he is only one booking away from a suspension.

West Ham's Maxwel Cornet is still nursing a thigh injury, but he remains the only concern for David Moyes.

Edson Alvarez and Emerson Palmieri will need to be careful, as like Lienhart, they are one caution away from missing the second leg.

The stats

Freiburg have dropped to ninth in the Bundesliga table after just two wins in their previous 10, but at home they remain consistent.

Breisgau-Brasilianer have only lost one of their previous 11 in front of their own supporters, while they only failed to score in one of those fixtures.

Freiburg have struggled to keep clean sheets, though, with seven of their last nine seeing both teams score, while West Ham have conceded 14 goals in their previous five fixtures in the Premier League.

However, after eight games without a win, the Hammers have won two on the spin, scoring seven goals in the process.

Prediction

This game has the potential to steal the headlines on Thursday, with neither side able to brag about their defensive skills.

The Hammers seem to have found their rhythm again after a tough start to 2024, and they know they can hurt Freiburg, having beaten them twice already this season.

However, the fact that West Ham have only one once in their last five on the road means we cannot back them to succeed with any confidence.

Backing a high-scoring tie looks the way to go, especially considering Freiburg's form at home this season. They have only lost four times at the Europa-Park Stadion, and we should see an end-to-end battle that keeps the neutrals enthralled.

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