- 1 Motherwell vs Fribourg: Scots up against a European finalist
- 2 Motherwell: a Scottish fortress with nothing to lose
- 3 Freiburg: a Europa League finalist that cannot afford a slip-up
- 4 Conference League prediction Motherwell vs Fribourg
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information that changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling comes first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Motherwell vs Fribourg: Scots up against a European finalist 
Motherwell have lost just three competitive matches at Fir Park in more than 12 months. Two came against Falkirk, the other against Celtic.
That record sets the tone for this Conference League first-leg playoff, scheduled for Thursday 20 August at 19:30. Fir Park will be packed for the visit of the Germans.
Across the way stand the unlucky runners-up from last season’s Europa League. Freiburg went all the way to the final before falling at the last hurdle.
On paper, the gap between the two clubs is huge. But Scottish football has a habit of muddying the script.
Motherwell booked their place by knocking out HJK Helsinki in the third qualifying round. A 2-0 win in the decisive second leg on 13 August settled it.
Ibrahim Said scored both goals that night. The club itself has described the performance as its best on the biggest stage.
Their start to the Scottish season backs that up: a draw and a win from their first two Premiership games. The Steelmen are still unbeaten in competitive action since the restart.
Emmanuel Longelo summed up the mood in the camp, saying the group were looking forward to the challenge. No sign of fear in the pre-match chatter.
The winner of this tie goes into the 36-team league phase of the Conference League. The loser is out of Europe for the season.
The return leg takes place on 27 August in Germany. Motherwell need to build something on Thursday if they want to go there with any sort of cushion.
Motherwell: a Scottish fortress with nothing to lose 
Three defeats at Fir Park across a period of more than 12 months, including two against Falkirk. The third came against Celtic, the usual giant of the Scottish game.
It underlines a side that is tough to beat on home turf. The stadium is tight, loud and built for pressure, which matters here.
The win over HJK Helsinki backed that up on the European stage. The 2-0 on 13 August was built around Said’s double.
That makes Said the main attacking threat in the squad for this playoff. His third-round heroics give him a proper shot of confidence heading into Thursday.
The Premiership campaign has begun with a draw and a victory. Two games in, no defeats, and a start that matches expectations.
The schedule, though, is brutal for a club of this size. The Steelmen squeezed in a Premier Sports Cup last-16 tie at Ochilview before welcoming Freiburg.
That sort of run, packed into 15 days, raises real questions about legs. A thin squad can only take so much.
Longelo, one of the defenders, stressed there was no fear of a Europa League finalist. That fits the evidence against Helsinki.
The Scottish plan is obvious: stay in the game for an hour, then try to nick something from dead balls. Fir Park has seen that formula work before.
But beating Freiburg over 90 minutes is a different order of task from getting past HJK. Quality usually tells in the end.
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Freiburg: a Europa League finalist that cannot afford a slip-up 
Freiburg reached last season’s Europa League final before losing the last game. That remains the club’s strongest recent continental marker.
Dropping into a Conference League playoff a year later shows the slide in their Bundesliga standing. Their European status has been adjusted accordingly.
The club confirmed the draw against Motherwell in an official statement. There was no mistaking the internal view: this tie is a hurdle, not a formality.
The trip to Scotland on 20 August comes before the return leg in Germany on 27 August. That gives the Germans the edge across the tie, at least in theory.
The Bundesliga does not restart until 28 August, with Bayern Munich v Stuttgart kicking things off. So Freiburg arrive without a league game in their legs.
That lack of competitive rhythm is the main German concern for this first leg. Motherwell have two Premiership matches and two European rounds in the bank.
Even so, the technical gap across the pitch is still sizeable. A club that has reached a continental final simply carries depth Motherwell cannot match.
The Fir Park pitch and atmosphere will create a setting plenty of German players are not used to. Scottish sides packed into a low block have a way of making life awkward for teams that want space.
The sensible aim for Freiburg is to keep a clean sheet and take something home. It is a cautious approach, which does not exactly scream fireworks.
The European pedigree and big-game experience lean clearly towards the Germans. Over one night in Scotland, the gap narrows, but it does not vanish.
Probable Motherwell line-up: Not available at time of publication.
Probable Freiburg line-up: Not available at time of publication.
Conference League prediction Motherwell vs Fribourg
Our prediction: Freiburg to win
Freiburg are coming off a Europa League final and face a club that had to get past HJK Helsinki to reach this point. The difference between a continental finalist and a third qualifying round side is mostly measured in squad depth.
Motherwell also look stretched by a packed 15-day run, with two Premiership games, a Premier Sports Cup last-16 tie at Ochilview and a European two-leg showdown. Freiburg arrive fresh, with their league not starting until 28 August.
The Germans should win at Motherwell and take control before the return leg.
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