Europa League: Italian-German Clash Can Deliver ‘Sexy Football’

Bologna vs SC Freiburg

As Europa League fixtures go, it’s fair to say that Bologna v Freiburg probably isn’t one of the most attractive on the agenda this week.

And to quote the Dutch great Ruud Gullit, in the late 1990s, for many onlookers it wouldn’t even qualify as ‘sexy football’.

Yet look beneath the surface and you will find this clash not only has the capacity to deliver plenty of Europa League 2025 highlights but actually showcases two clubs who have qualified for Europe despite the odds being stacked against them.

These two sides can play!

 

Talking Points

As the hosts walk out in the Stadio Dall’Ara on Thursday evening, they will certainly receive a warm welcome from fans who are highly appreciative of their achievements.

This is the club which qualified for the Champions League in 2024 – finishing ahead of the likes of Roma, Lazio and Napoli in the process – but then saw the heart of the team ripped out by bigger clubs who snapped up the likes of Riccardo Calafiori, Marko Arnautovic and Joshua Zirkzee to name just three.

That didn’t deter them and they went onto lift the Coppa Italia in fine fashion in May, ending a 51 year trophy drought in the process.

To emphasise the point I am making, their match-winner that evening, Dan Ndoye, is now no longer with them (snapped up by Nottingham Forest this summer for €42 million), while centre back Sam Beukema was another departure as Italian champions Napoli swooped.

Despite their disadvantage though, Bologna are still striving for success amd are very deserving of their place at this level after securing back-to-back European qualification for the first time in the club’s history.

In their opening group game a fortnight ago, they went down to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa, a side amongst the favourites to win the trophy this season.

Domestically, they have had a mixed start to the campaign and Vincenzo Italiano’s side currently sit ninth in Serie A.

Last weekend, the Rossoblu conceded a painful late leveller in Lecce, where they had to settle for a 2-2 draw with the bottom club after conceding a last-gasp goal.

As they now head back to base, it should be noted they have only ever lost twice in 31 UEFA matches – albeit both defeats came in two of their last three European games.

The loss of Ciro Immobile and Ibrahim Sulemana to injury is an undoubted blow for the home side, while veteran right-back Lorenzo De Silvestri was omitted from the club’s UEFA squad list.

They will pin many hopes on Riccardo Orsolini who converted his second penalty in as many Serie A games at the weekend, and the Italy winger could support either Castro or Thijs Dallinga up front.

Despite the absences, never underestimate a side managed by Italiano who often rotates his squad for midweek matches.

As for Freiburg, they may have just missed out on qualifying for the European Cup/Champions League for the first time in their 121-year history, but their fifth place finish in the Bundesliga was a real triumph.

The German side won their group opener against Basel a fortnight ago when midfielders Patrick Osterhage and Maximilian Eggestein netted either side of half time.

After a poor start to the campaign, Julian Schuster’s side are now building some momentum, unbeaten in four games across all competitions after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim left them eighth in the early Bundesliga standings.

The Black Forest club are likely to have Orsolini’s international colleague Vincenzo Grifo in attack alongside Austrian Junior Adamu.

They will need to improve their away record though. They have won none of their last three Europa League games on their travels and have failed to score on each occasion.

 

History

This will be the first ever meeting between the clubs.

 

Betting Tip

Our SBOTOP Europa League 2025 betting odds back the home side, as do I.

They are priced 1X2 @ 2.00 and Asian Handicap -0.50, also @ 2.00.

Freiburg are on offer at an attractive 1X2 @ 3.51 and Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.21.

The Draw will pay out @ 3.16 and goal options range from over 2.50 @ 2.09 to Total Goal 0-1 @ 2.92, 2-3 @ 1.97 and 4-6 @ 3.57.

I do not think there will be quite that many goals but I think there will be a few which is why I’ve narrowly sidestepped Half Time Full Time Draw Home @ 5.00 to opt for a *** tip of Correct Score 2-1 @ 8.20.

   

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