SC Freiburg

No changes to the starting XI

Things finally get going again on Thursday, when Christian Streich’s side take on Juventus in the last 16 of the Europa Leauge. The side from Turin are the Italian record champions, having won the domestic league 36 times, and also have a decorated history in Europe, including having won the UEFA Cup, what is known today as the Europa League.

 “SC Freiburg is currently going through what is probably the most successful period in the club’s history in terms of the football and business sides. Oliver Leki and Jochen Saier have played a key role in shaping this overall positive development over the past few years. We are very pleased that we were able to extend the contracts with both board members early,” said chairman of the supervisory board at SCF, Dr. Heinrich Breit. His deputy on the supervisory board, Johannes Baumgartner, added: “With their many years of service at the club, Oliver Leki and Jochen Saier represent the personnel continuity that makes our club as strong as it is. We in the supervisory board are convinced that they will continue to lead our club successfully with their proven abilities and personalities.”

An overview of SC’s newly announced fixtures:

Matchday 26, SC Freiburg – Hertha BSC, Saturday, 1st April, 15:30 CEST

Matchday 27, SC Freiburg – FC Bayern München, Saturday, 8th April, 15:30 CEST

Matchday 28, SV Werder Bremen – SC Freiburg, Sunday, 16th April, 15:30 CEST

Matchday 29, SC Freiburg – FC Schalke 04, Sunday, 23rd April, 15:30 CEST

Matchday 30, 1. FC Köln – SC Freiburg, Saturday, 29th April, 15:30 CEST 

“This contract extension wasn’t a matter of course; we constantly scrutinise our work and the path that the club is on, and both we and Klemens stand behind it fully,” said chief sporting officer Jochen Saier. “Klemens and his scouting team are a fundamental building block in our successful development of recent years, so we are delighted to carry on our work together with continued trust and responsibility.”

In contrast to the 1-1 draw against Bayer 04, Streich and co. decided to set up with a back three. Captain Christian Günter returned to the side following his yellow-card suspension, alongside Roland Sallai. Michael Gregoritsch did not make the trip to Borussia-Park – the striker was ill. Also under the weather was Ritsu Doan, who was forced off due to his illness against Leverkusen. He was named on the bench for his fixture.

On matchday 28, the team travel to North Germany to face SV Werder Bremen. That game takes place on Sunday, 16th April (15:30 CEST). The home game against FC Schalke 04 will also take place on a Sunday (23rd April, 15:30 CEST).

Borussia will be looking to right two wrongs on the weekend. Not only are Daniel Farke’s side coming off the back of a painful 4-0 defeat in Mainz last time out, but they will also be hoping to get revenge for the 6-0 drubbing handed out by SC in their last trip to Borussia-Park. The Breisgauer had torn Gladbach to pieces inside 37 minutes on matchday 21 last season, recording their first three points in Mönchengladbach since 1995 and the biggest Bundesliga victory in the club’s history. “It’s good to finally have that win there under our belts. I’ve still never headed to Mönchengladbach with a bad feeling though. Even before the 6-0 win, we often had really good and closely fought encounters,” explained Streich.

Bayer Leverkusen, who, behind RB Leipzig, have scored the second-most goals on the counter in the league this season (six), sat deep in the initial stages, looking for any opportunity to break. Given that Moussa Diaby, who had recently been out due to an adductor injury, was back in the starting line-up for the first time in a while, it made sense that they employed such tactics early on. 

SC got through Group G unbeaten with 14 points having played Nantes, Qarabag und Olympiakos and qualified directly for the last 16.