Bundesliga predictions: Freiburg eye flying start against winless Schalke

SC Freiburg host FC Schalke 04 at 2:30 am AEDT on Monday in a Round 5 clash that has all the makings of a one-sided affair. Freiburg sit second on the ladder with three points from their opening start — a thumping 4–1 home win over Werder Bremen that showcased the sort of ruthless finishing you want to see from a side with ambition. Schalke, by contrast, are anchored to 17th with zero points, having opened the campaign with a 3–0 loss that left them with nothing but repair work on the agenda. The gulf in early form is stark, and the market reflects it: Freiburg are short favourites at home, with punters sniffing value across several angles. Here's how we're reading the script for this Monday arvo fixture.

Who Will Win?

Freiburg's 4–1 dismantling of Bremen last time out was a clinical display, and they carry the momentum of that performance into this one. Coming off a win on their own deck, they've already put three goals on the board in terms of goal differential and sit just behind the ladder leaders. Schalke, meanwhile, are coming off a blank sheet in attack and a three-goal concession — a miserable opening that has left them with a minus-three differential and zero points to show. It's early days, but the contrast in trajectory could hardly be sharper.

There's no recent head-to-head history in the pack to lean on, so we're reading the tea leaves from what we know: a home side that has already shown it can put four past opposition on this ground, and an away side that shipped three and failed to trouble the scorekeeper. Schalke's winless record and basement ladder position suggest a rebuild in progress, not a team ready to walk into a cauldron like this and nick points. Freiburg's win odds reflect the weight of expectation, and rightly so — the hosts have both form and home advantage in their corner, and Schalke have shown nothing yet to suggest they can reverse that narrative.

Our view? Freiburg should have too much class and recent confidence for a Schalke outfit still searching for their first points. The hosts' four-goal haul last start tells you they're not short on firepower, and Schalke's defensive frailties are already on the record. We're backing the home side to get the job done.

Totals: Goals on the Menu?

The Total Goals market is set at 2.5, and the over is short for good reason. Freiburg banged in four at home in their opener, while Schalke leaked three in theirs — that's a combined seven goals across two matches, and there's nothing in the pack to suggest either side has suddenly tightened up. With limited data to work from, the recent form snapshot is all we've got, and it points to a game with goals in it.

Freiburg's attacking output last start was electric, and they're at home again where that confidence should carry through. Schalke's defensive woes are already well-documented, and an away trip to face a side that just put four past Bremen doesn't sound like the recipe for a low-scoring grind. We're leaning over here — the pack evidence, thin as it is, tilts toward a game that clears the bar, and Freiburg's firepower should do most of the heavy lifting.

Same Game Multi Angles

If you're chasing a bit of spice, the Same Game Multi board has a few priced combos worth a squiz. Edin Džeko to score anytime, Freiburg to win & BTTS is quoted at 5.75, which layers in the assumption that Schalke might nick a consolation despite their opening blank. Another combo has Chukwubuike Adamu to score anytime & Freiburg to win at 6.5, targeting a different scorer in what could be a multi-goal romp for the hosts.

For the brave, Edin Džeko to score anytime, Freiburg to win & Over 3.5 goals sits at 7.5 — a combo that backs Freiburg to replicate their four-goal showing from last start. These are opinion plays, not certainties, and the prices reflect the added risk of stacking legs. But if you fancy Freiburg to run riot and Džeko to get among the goals, there's your yarn.