Europa League
2025-09-24 - SC Freiburg vs FC Basel
A Sports Betting Pick by Niko
Football; UEFA Europa League: 1st Round
Europa Park Stadion – Freiburg
Wednesday, 24th September 2025 - kickoff 21:00 CET
SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg awaits this Europa League first-round clash with cautious optimism. Last season, they were solid at home in almost all matches, and they’ll be looking to make Europa-Park Stadion a fortress again.
SC Freiburg’s strength lies in their collective play — they aren’t a team built around one star, but rather a well-drilled unit.
Regarding their recent performances, SC Freiburg significantly improved since their poor Bundesliga start, winning twice in a row against VfB Stuttgart (3-1) and Werder Bremen (0-3) last weekend.
Still, their defense has been a little shaky lately, as they conceded in three of their four Bundesliga games before this European game.
FC Basel
FC Basel are no strangers to European nights, but they are not the force they once were. Now, the veteran Xherdan Shaqiri is their leader, scoring four of the team’s 12 goals in six recent games.
Still, they remain a dangerous side, particularly when they can play on the counter. FC Basel have been finding the net regularly, scoring in most of their recent away matches, which will give them the belief they can trouble SC Freiburg’s back line.
FC Basel have won four of their last six league games, but last week they needed overtime and penalties to beat Swiss minnows Etoile Carouge FC after playing a 2-2 draw in regular time.
The problem for FC Basel has been at the defensive end of the pitch. Their defense has been leaky, with very few clean sheets to show for recent efforts. They conceded in six of their seven competitive games so far.
Conceding early could throw them off balance, especially in an intense away atmosphere like Freiburg’s. Their best hope may be to sit deep, stay compact, and rely on quick breaks to nick a vital away goal.
The Betting Verdict
SC Freiburg has remained unbeaten against FC Basel in four straight friendlies played since 2021 (three wins).
Their most recent friendly duel dates from September of last year, when SC Freiburg thrashed FC Basel 6-0 at home.
SC Freiburg has the home advantage and a recent psychological edge, so they deserve to be the favorites here. However, FC Basel’s knack for scoring on the road makes both teams to score a solid betting option.
If you are looking for a riskier play, SC Freiburg to win in combination with at least three goals scored also has an appeal, as a 2-1 or 3-1 scoreline feels very realistic.
However, my recommended bet here is backing SC Freiburg on a straight-up first win in the Europa League.
The Pick :
SC Freiburg 2-1 FC Basel
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
Take SC Freiburg to win at odds of 1.73 with BetFred
