SC face Wolfsburg “with a clear head”

When asked if he was heading into the match with feelings of nostalgia, Streich said: “No. Everything’s going so well here – it’s exactly as I’d wanted it. A win against Wolfsburg is all I’m after.”

The two sides find themselves in very different situations in the league table – while the Wolves’ place in next season’s top-flight is yet to be confirmed, SC are fighting for a coveted European place. “If we can win, we’ll find ourselves in a very good position to be travelling around Europe again next season. We’ve had some wonderful trips in the last few years,” recalls Streich.

SC pushed forward by the fans

“There’s still a lot to play for in the last four matches. We have to go into those games with a clear head. We haven’t got everything right on the pitch up to this point – it’s been a difficult season, but we’re in a good position.” Freiburg currently sit seventh in the table on 40 points, with sixth place still well within reach. Victory against Wolfsburg would represent a valuable step towards that goal, and the team will be boosted by the always-effervescent support of their home crowd at the Europa-Park Stadion. “We need the full support of the spectators,” said Streich. “The boys are determined; they’ll give it everything out there.” The 58-year-old is not concerned with the aesthetics of the game, and is instead looking for “presence, aggression and the energy to defend everything and create chances on the counter.”

SC’s opponents have managed 31 points so far this season, a total which is not yet enough to guarantee safety. VfL triumphed over Bochum last weekend, but have failed to win two games on the bounce since August. “It was a very important game for them,” says Streich. “For Wolfsburg, the last four games are just about making sure they stay in the league and don’t drop into the relegation zone.”

“They’re a very good team. If we allow Wolfsburg any sort of freedom, we’ll be in trouble,” emphasised Streich, who will be will be able to call on Roland Sallai and Noah Weißhaupt again on Saturday. Sallai is back after serving a suspension, while Weißhaupt has returned to team training after his injury. Despite having plenty of catching up to do, he could well feature at the weekend, confirmed Streich. Merlin Röhl, however, is out with a muscle tear, and Lukas Kübler misses out after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season against Mainz. “Merlin’s absence is a blow because it means we’ve lost a lot of pace in our game.”

Photo: Fabian Bimmer