Football | Bayern as a development opponent for SC Freiburg

Last season, Derry Scherhant (l.) and Co. had FC Bayern on the verge of defeat. Photo: imago/Arne Amberg Igor Matanović is a trained striker - and the Hamburg native likes to incorporate this basic orientation as a footballer into interviews. A fitting moment for verbal offensive spirit occurred last Thursday in the Principality of Monaco. The Freiburgers, who had started the season with a formidable start, were defeated in the Conference League by the local Association Sportive, or AS for short. Four days after the 1:2 defeat in Leverkusen.

“Our run is definitely interrupted for the moment,” said SC coach Julian Schuster knowledgeably at the Stade Louis II. Matanović couldn't contradict that either. Above all, such setbacks awaken the fighting spirit in the 23-year-old. He didn't blame his own bad pass before the 2-0 lead on the addressee, Cyriaque Irié, who might have started too late, but rather took the mishap "of course" on his own responsibility. And once that was clarified, Matanović, in keeping with his attacking nature, turned his gaze forward. Finally, leaders Bayern Munich will be visiting Breisgau on Sunday.

»I'm not that worried. We are a good team and are confident. Maybe the game against Bayern will be just right," argued the Croatian international striker. In doing so, he also refreshed a central message before the start of the season, according to which the sports club will be able to annoy the big boys even more often than last year.

The people of South Baden have laid the basis for such bold announcements with the continuous optimization of the professional ensemble. That's why there wasn't much lamentation on their part when Johan Manzambi, a whiz kid from the previous season, moved to Aston Villa in the Premier League after the World Cup. On the one hand, the transfer of the young Swiss brought 63 million euros into Freiburg's already well-filled coffers. On the other hand, the qualitative breadth of the squad is one of their biggest assets.

The slow replacement of the still valuable 33-year-old Vincenzo Grifo by the new national team player Derry Scherhant, ten years his junior, has been taking place almost silently since the start of the season. The succession is similarly advanced for captain Christian Günter (also 33). Jordy Makengo (25) often defended on the left last year. In addition, actors like Philipp Treu (25), Yuito Suzuki (24), Niklas Beste (27) and Max Rosenfelder (23) are getting better and better.

Difficulties in performance, such as those recently seen in Monaco, are certainly factored into the rejuvenation process. Because it is precisely from the negative experiences of the past week that we can see how sustainable the further development of the sports club actually is.

Bayern, who will have to do without their coach Vincent Kompany, who is ill and currently in hospital, on Sunday, pushed Schuster's team to the brink of defeat in April. After a 2-0 lead, Freiburg ultimately lost 2-3. Last season there was no defeat against any team from the top six in the league in their own stadium; the Champions League participants Leipzig and Stuttgart were even defeated.

But the people from Breisgau are now also appearing more courageously and confidently away from home than before, as can be seen at their recent appearances in Frankfurt and Leverkusen. However, if Schuster's team doesn't bring their characteristic energy onto the pitch, the Freiburg structure quickly becomes fragile. Like in the second half in Leverkusen or the first half at AS Monaco.

Experienced Grifo tried to brighten up the sobering result against the Monegasques with memories of some “great home games against Bayern”. "We want to try to get back on the road to success - even if we know it won't be easy," said defense chief Matthias Ginter, expressing rather subdued confidence on the Mediterranean coast.

In keeping with the spirit of his offensive-minded colleague Igor Matanović, Maximilian Eggestein does not believe that the international bankruptcy will cause a major setback. Instead, the SC midfield engine emphasizes: “Bayern Munich is a difficult opponent. But we’re trying to get three points there too – and still get something out of this week.”

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