The young SC Freiburg players have shown that they can keep up in the Europa League. In the Bundesliga, the well-established regulars will return on Sunday. The SC has big plans.
Baku (dpa / lsw) - Coach Christian Streich almost gambled. There were ten changes in SC Freiburg's starting XI at the end of the group stage in the Europa League. In the home game in the Bundesliga against 1. FC Köln, the coach will rotate back on Sunday (5.30 p.m. / DAZN) and build on his well-rehearsed unit. After all, the people of Breisgau want to get the most out of the remaining three games this calendar year.
"We are in a very good position," said the third-placed coach after the 1-1 draw at Karabakh Agdam. "I hope we can win the game. Then we would already have 27 points after 13 games. That would be extraordinary for us."
For Streich, the game against Azerbaijan's champions was a welcome opportunity to give regulars like Matthias Ginter, Mark Flekken and Michael Gregoritsch a breather. Because the group win and the associated entry into the round of 16 was already certain before the kick-off. Only captain and perennial favorite Christian Günter reappeared in the starting line-up compared to the 2-0 win at FC Schalke 04.
Many young players, most of whom were trained at the Freiburg football school, played alongside the international. "It was a tough test at a very high level," said Streich. "Of course the pressure was sometimes too great, but overall the boys did very well."
It was clear that "all the players in our squad can play from the start," said Streich. Because it got tricky again in the final phase in Baku despite being outnumbered, some top performers still got their minutes. Vincenzo Grifo also had to do it again. He almost crowned his 200th competitive game for the sports club. But because he missed the goal once and the second attempt was blocked, he will probably not remember his anniversary in particular.
Things should be different for the in-form 29-year-old against Cologne, who were eliminated from the Europa Conference League on Thursday evening. Grifo recently rose to become the top scorer with Italian roots in the Bundesliga. In addition, there are four scorer points in the last two games at Schalke and against SV Werder Bremen.
Since Daniel-Kofi Kyereh is questionable due to muscular problems and Kevin Schade also had to leave the field injured after two rude fouls by the Karabakh professionals, Grifo's return is almost certain. In the case of Schade, it doesn't look like a worse injury. Streich is not certain, however, and Kyereh did not travel at all due to muscular problems. "Maybe we can get him fit," said the coach, who is hoping for Kyereh's involvement.
But he was once again satisfied with his team's performance, although the draw was flattering in favor of Freiburg due to three video referee interventions. Finally, the SC finishes the group stage undefeated as the group leader. Last year's finalist is also in the DFB Cup and the Sport-Club is in wait in the Bundesliga.
"We couldn't have dreamed that things would go like this," said Streich. "The team achieves extraordinary things and we do everything together. And if something doesn't work, then it's shaken off and we just keep going." The coach will not continue to gamble with a view to the starting eleven. At least not in the games before the upcoming World Cup break in mid-November.
