Fortuna Düsseldorf vs Freiburg

The fixture is set to take place at the Merkur Spiel‑Arena in Düsseldorf, with kick‑off scheduled for 19:45 CET. Located in North‑Rhine Westphalia, Fortuna’s home ground will host this Round‑of‑32 cup clash against Bundesliga side Freiburg. The venue will see a mid‑week night tie, giving the hosts a chance to rally in front of their own fans.

On the personnel front, Fortuna arrive under pressure from recent poor league form and an array of injury concerns. Reports indicate that several players at Fortuna are doubtful or ruled out, particularly in midfield where fitness issues persist, though exact names remain partially unclear. Meanwhile Freiburg appear to approach the match with a largely available squad, giving their coach more selection flexibility. With both teams naming full benches, substitution strategies will likely be key: Fortuna may rotate to inject freshness and hope for a cup upset; Freiburg may utilise their depth to maintain their first‑team rhythm without disrupting their Bundesliga momentum.

Tactically, Fortuna’s coach is expected to adopt a cautious but ambitious set‑up: focusing on defensive organisation, compact midfield spacing, and opportunistic transitions when possession is won back. Against a higher‑tier opponent they may lean on set‑pieces and quick counter‑attacks rather than sustained dominance. Freiburg’s coach, by contrast, is likely to stick with a stable structure emphasising controlled build‑up, pressing triggers when out of possession and exploiting the flanks via quick wide players. Freiburg’s experience in the top flight means they may favour patience and structure over frenetic risk-taking.

In the build‑up the press have largely cast Freiburg as favourites: media commentary notes Fortuna’s poor home record and the strength disparity given the league gulf, while praising Freiburg’s consistency in recent domestic and cup campaigns. Some outlets highlight that Fortuna view the Cup game as a chance to arrest their slide, but caution against over‑optimism given their injury doubts and the opponent’s quality. Topics such as “underdog opportunity” for Fortuna and “avoid slip” for Freiburg are recurring themes in previews.

Studio analysts ahead of the match are focusing on a few key talking‑points: Fortuna’s ability to break the cycle of home defeats and whether their injured midfield can sustain the intensity; Freiburg’s depth and tactical maturity and how they might handle the fixture without underestimating their opposition. Some expect Freiburg to win by a comfortable margin if they impose their rhythm; others warn that in knockout football the underdog at home can spring surprises, especially if Fortuna defend well and exploit one or two moments.

Watch and Download Fortuna Düsseldorf vs SC Freiburg full match replay and highlights, At Wednesday, October 29, 2025. The match played at Merkur Spiel-Arena, in DFB Pokal, Germany.