Freiburg continue fight on three fronts with Augsburg win
After suffering defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich last weekend, Freiburg showed their mettle by coming from behind to beat Augsburg on Matchday 8 and consolidate their third place in the table. It was the latest positive result in a season that could be particularly memorable, even in the context of recent campaigns…
Losing to Bayern is hardly something to dwell on, but Julian Schuster’s men needed to make sure it did not prove to be the beginning of a dip in form. Things didn’t start well at the WWK Arena, either, as former Freiburg player Michael Gregoritsch came back to haunt the visitors with a lovely finish to put his side in front.
However, Freiburg kept at it, and Schuster’s substitutes changed the game. Igor Matanović equalised with an emphatic strike for his fourth goal of the Bundesliga season after being introduced, and two replacements combined for the winner when Vincenzo Grifo’s cross was headed home by Cyriaque Irié at the back post.
Watch: Augsburg 1-2 Freiburg
As such, Freiburg picked up their fifth win from their opening eight games this term, guaranteeing they will still be third by the end of the weekend. Their 16-point total is also their second-best after eight Bundesliga games in their history.
This felt like a real example of Freiburg’s mental strength. “We struggled for a long time today against a very dangerous opponent,” said Schuster after the match. “That makes us all the more delighted with the win.”
Centre-back Matthias Ginter, meanwhile, added, “A huge compliment to the team for turning it around today. Not everyone can do that.”
Freiburg are not just excelling in the Bundesliga. In midweek, they recovered from 2-1 down to beat Wolfsburg 3-2 in the DFB Cup, progressing to the third round, while they have one win and one defeat from two UEFA Conference League games.
Much of their success comes from a strong roster full of players who can do a reliable job when called upon. "We have a very deep squad, that's a great asset,” Ginter explained. “Today we had five or six changes to the starting line-up. It's understandable that things might not always run smoothly. That makes it all the better when the guys who come in can turn the game around for us.”
Freiburg’s knack of competing despite their humble surroundings is nothing new, either. They have competed in a European and DFB Cup final in the last five years, while they have registered four top-seven finishes in the previous five seasons.
On at least two occasions, they have narrowly missed out on a place in the UEFA Champions League, and their strong start to the campaign has put them in contention once again. And, even as they attempt to compete on three fronts, you would not bet against them finally bursting through the ceiling and taking a seat at the continent’s top table.
