Lillle vs. Freiburg: UEFA Europa League LIVE blog and team news

Freiburg travel to face Lille in their final league-phase clash of the UEFA Europa League on Thursday (kick-off: 9pm CET) needing only a draw to secure automatic progression to the last 16.

Freiburg's 1-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv last week moved them up to third in the league phase standings as they continued their unbeaten 2025/26 Europa League campaign.

Boasting the joint-best defensive record with three goals conceded in seven games, while scoring 10 goals, Freiburg's five wins and two defeats means, should Julian Schuster's side avoid defeat against Lille, they will go directly into the last 16. However, they could yet finish ninth and face the knockout play-offs if results go against them.

Lille come into the final round of games in 21st place, still fighting for their continental survival and a place in the play-offs, having lost their last two Europa League outings at Young Boys and Celta Vigo.

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Lille

Thu, 29.01 20:00

Freiburg

Europa League
League phase, Matchday 8 League phase, Matchday 8 Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille

Hosts out for victory

Lille are winless in their last five, and come into this game on the back of a defeat to Strasbourg in Ligue 1. They still sit fifth in the French league, though, and have former Bundesliga men Thomas Meunier and Nabil Bentaleb to aid them in their quest for victory.

Difficult customers

Freiburg are unbeaten in Europe, and have lost just once in their last six league games. They've climbed up to seventh in the league, and will look to continue their European adventure with another win against Lille.

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Watch: Freiburg 2-1 Cologne - highlights

Freiburg came from behind to move up to seventh on Matchday 19.

Head-to-head

These teams have never met before in European competition. Freiburg, though, have won four and drawn one of their five meetings with French sides, while Lille have won only two of their 13 encounters with German opposition (D5 L6).

© IMAGO/JOERAN STEINSIEK

Lille - the story so far

Lille’s campaign so far has been something of a rollercoaster ride. Back-to-back victories over Brann and Roma were followed by defeats to PAOK and Red Star Belgrade, before a 4-0 win against Dinamo Zagreb left them in a strong position to confirm at least a knockout phase play-off spot. However, the Ligue 1 side have since lost to Young Boys and Celta Vigo, leaving them in need of a result against Freiburg to secure a play-off berth.

© IMAGO/Mutsu Kawamori

Freiburg - the story so far

Freiburg occupy third place in the league phase standings, having beaten Basel, Utrecht, Nice, Salzburg and Maccabi Tel Aviv and drawn away to Bologna and Viktoria Plzeň. With a three-point cushion over ninth-placed Porto, Julian Schuster's side are on the brink of securing a top-eight finish and an automatic place in the round of 16.

© Daniela Porcelli

Hello and welcome!

Welcome along and thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of the UEFA Europa League fixture between Lille and Freiburg.

About the clubs

Sport-Club Freiburg

Europa-Park Stadion