“Full of energy” ahead of the winter break

The last game between the two sides ended in a 2-0 win for Freiburg thanks to goals from Christian Günter and Nils Petersen in the latter’s final home game as an SC Freiburg player. SCF’s fortunes were markedly different in their last trip to Wolfsburg, as they fell to a 6-0 defeat at the start of 2023. Almost a year on from that game, SCF find themselves above VfL in the table after 13 games. After winning four of their first six games, the Wolves’ form has dipped significantly, with their only victory since then coming against RB Leipzig. Niko Kovac’s side lost against VfL Bochum in their last Bundesliga game and they were knocked out of the DFB-Pokal by Borussia Mönchengladbach on Tuesday.

SC Freiburg are expected to be accompanied by around 1,000 fans in Wolfsburg despite a Deutsche Bahn strike disrupting travel. “We’re not naive. Wolfsburg have been good at home and recently beat Leipzig,” said Christian Streich. SCF’s head coach also noted that the pitch at the Volkswagen Arena gives Saturday’s opponents an advantage: “They’ve got a hybrid pitch which is a lot quicker to play on. We’ve got to be ready for that.” Streich also referenced the Wolves’ patchy form and stressed that his team need to be careful. “They looked good at the start of the season and now they want to start picking up points again. They’ve got a lot of options and set high expectations for themselves. There’s a lot in store for us and it’ll be a tough game.”

The narrow win against FSV Mainz 05 gave the coaching staff confidence. “The boys managed to get past a very good opponent in Mainz. It was an important win for our morale and our position in the league.” Michael Gregoritsch’s first goal of the season sealed the win against the Zerofivers, but the energy levels were the deciding factor in the game, as SCF covered a combined distance of 126km. “Obviously, we made mistakes, but we had chances and battled well. I’d like to think that we’ll be in a position to make things competitive on Saturday if we bring that energy to the table again. It’s the same as every game – the boys need to give it their all or else we’ve got no chance of beating Wolfsburg.”

Mentality is important

The main goal away at Wolfsburg is to pick up points. “If we get a positive result and pass this test, then we would be in a situation that allows us to enjoy a lovely Christmas.” That’s the case, even though there are two Bundesliga games to come this year. The head coach hopes that he, his colleagues and his players “are able to switch off for a few days”. This would be a given if Streich’s side are able to pick up a win or maybe even just a point against Wolfsburg, who have a good record at home. Streich wants to avoid one thing above all – the “intense pressure” that comes with the fight for survival. “Behind the top teams in the league, it’s tight from sixth to eighteenth. At least that’s how it feels,” the 58-year-old explained.

Streich didn’t reveal his side’s tactical approach for the clash against VfL Wolfsburg, but he’s pleased that his players are now able to switch from a back three to a back four during a game without a change in personnel. “We are always trying to be as flexible as possible. Of course that’s also always dependant on which players are fit.” Following on from last weekend, Lukas Kübler is an option as he’s back involved in team training. Matthias Ginter, who had to be replaced early on against Mainz due to sickness, is also back fit. Streich doesn’t think that which players play in which system is particularly important: “It’s not the system that wins games, but the right interpretation of the system and the players’ determination and mentality.

Photo: SC Freiburg