“We’re all looking forward to getting started”

After Borussia Mönchengladbach and reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen kick off the 62^nd Bundesliga season on Friday evening, VfB get their campaign under way with a trip to SC Freiburg on Saturday afternoon (15:30 CEST). Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß is looking forward to the new top-flight season with great excitement, telling reporters on Friday: “It’s going to be an exciting season, one which the fans can look forward to. I’m also looking forward to it. A high standard, new faces, exciting players and full stadiums – we’re all just looking forward to getting started.”

VfB’s Matchday 1 opponents head into 2024/25 with more or less the same squad as last season, but having “lost a very successful and experienced head coach in Christian Streich”, as Hoeneß pointed out. In Streich’s successor Julian Schuster, Freiburg have someone in charge “who knows the club very well, needs no time to settle in and brings new ideas”. As for Freiburg’s approach, Hoeneß explained: “Their general style of play hasn’t changed much. There are a lot of similarities to before but also new ideas. They have a really good team.”

Hoeneß believes it will be important for VfB to play their own game on Saturday, controlling both their opponents and the ball. “We performed well in several areas against Leverkusen in the Supercup, but we also saw where we can still improve,” he said. “We’re now looking forward to the start of the Bundesliga, even if we have to change a few things. It’s going to be a huge test for us in Freiburg – we’re going to face the greatest possible resistance.”

There has been little improvement on the injury front at VfB this week. Niko Nartey, Josha Vagnoman, Dan-Axel Zagadou and Luca Raimund remain short of match fitness, while Leonidas Stergiou and Anthony Rouault are both injured. Enzo Millot and Maximilian Mittelstädt were unable to take full part in training due to muscle issues, and Yannik Keitel is a doubt after going over on his ankle on Thursday.