Before the DFB Cup semi-final this Tuesday evening (20:45 CET in the F.A.Z. live ticker for the DFB Cup, on ZDF and Sky), only one Freiburg player dared to emerge from the emotional shadow: Lucas Höler. After the 1-0 victory of the sports club in the Bundesliga at 1. FC Köln on Sunday afternoon, the attacker, but also the first defender of his team, immediately formulated a clear declaration of war when looking at the reunion with last year's cup winners RB Leipzig: "We still have a score to settle!".
I guess you could say that. After all, the South Baden failed last year in their first cup final despite a 1-0 lead and despite a long majority over Halstenberg's dismissal (57th minute) to the Saxons, because Christopher Nkunku then equalized Maximilian Eggestein's early lead and no further goal was scored in extra time. In the decisive penalty shootout, Leipzig won 4-2 after two Freiburg misses. After that, the Freiburg elation, which was still palpable at the beginning, iced over, while the Leipzigers demonstratively savoured their triumph.
Invoice open? "Who said that?" asked Freiburg head coach Christian Streich, visibly amused, in a small group of journalists after the successful Cologne Bundesliga dress rehearsal and then described his view of the reunion with the Saxons and the upcoming highlight of the season in knockout mode. "The young people are emotional, they really want to and they are all totally fine. I have to make sure that we get everything together and, if possible, bring a common cause to the pitch."
Freiburg joint product
Streich, himself often enough a recognizably emotional person, says today about Freiburg's cup final premiere on May 21 last year: "We drew against an incredibly good team in Berlin, had crossbar and post shots, but lost the penalty shootout. Not so bad if you don't win everything. Now we have another great experience ahead of us." It's about the second chance to be celebrated as a DFB Cup winner for the first time. What will have to be done for the second trip to Berlin, a place of longing, is summed up by the South Baden football coach and connoisseur of human nature as follows: "Putting everything on the pitch, working passionately, trying, playing well. And then the better one should win."
In order for that to be SC Freiburg this time, Streich's team must above all adhere to the basic virtues that have catapulted the team to fourth place in the Champions League this Bundesliga season. Since the introduction of the three-point rule in the 56/1995 season, the Breisgau team had never collected 96 points after the thirtieth matchday. It is the constantly advancing collaborative product of a collaboration based on being able to win close games again and again.
The team has not lost a single duel against the teams from the bottom half of the table this season. Narrow successes also paved the way to the cup final. A 2-1 win after extra time in the first round of the cup at second-division newcomers 1. FC Kaiserslautern and another 2-1 after extra time in the second round against second-division club FC St. Pauli was followed by a 2-0 win in the round of 2 at second-division bottom SV Sandhausen and finally the coup: the 1-<> win in the quarter-finals thanks to Höler's last-minute penalty at Bundesliga leaders and German champions FC Bayern Munich.
SC Freiburg has developed a mastery in consistently focused on achieving its goals. In this way, plus occasional demonstrations of their own playing skills, the team also drew attention to itself in the Europa League, in which last year's Bundesliga sixth only failed in the round of 16 against the stars of the Italian record champions Juventus.
Freiburg remained goalless in the 0-1 defeat in Turin and the 0-2 defeat at home, partly because their art of capitalising on set-pieces was not to be seen for once. In the Bundesliga, Streich's pros are the best in this discipline with 24 goals. That's how the 1-0 win in Cologne came about on Saturday. Günter's corner landed on the forehead of Höler and his redirect arrived at the starting Doan, who opened the door to victory with a parterre header. "That's quality," says Streich about Freiburg's hard-earned art of being able to surprise the opponent with special effects.
Storm along and defend
Being able to assert oneself meter by meter and to take advantage of the small advantages is a seal of approval of this team, which has been continuously strengthened over the years. "They bite, do and do everything," says Streich in praise of his defensive ensemble, in which the defenders attack and the strikers defend.
In this team of tacklers and tacklers, goalkeeper Mark Flekken, defensive bosses Matthias Ginter and Philipp Lienhart, as well as midfield tidyers Nicolas Höfler and Maximilian Eggestein as well as winger and captain Christian Günter keep the business in good shape and attackers Vincenzo Grifo, a master of the resting ball (thirteen Bundesliga goals), Doan, Höler or the tall Michael Gregoritsch (ten league goals).
Since even the most powerful and agile Freiburg strikers are never too shy to perform additional defensive tasks, SC Freiburg is now a synchronously interlocking collective for joint success. "They have a great work ethic and a great mentality," Streich praises his professionals. Asked what the bigger dream was for him, the sports club's participation in the Champions League for the first time or the cup triumph made up for this year, Höler said: "I'd like to win a title because we were so close last year and it hurt for a very long time afterwards."