Freiburg ‘have to be ready to suffer’ in DFB Cup semi-final against VfB Stuttgart
Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster has emphasised the importance of self-belief and discipline if his side is to overcome DFB Cup holders VfB Stuttgart on Thursday evening and reach only their second ever domestic cup final.
Freiburg’s 2-1 victory over Heidenheim on Matchday 30 means Schuster’s men travel to Stuttgart in a rich vein of form, having claimed consecutive league victories for the first time this calendar year, after defeating Mainz 1-0 the previous week.
Schuster, whose side suffered a narrow 1-0 loss in their last meeting with Stuttgart on Matchday 20, was characteristically level-headed in his pre-match assessment of the strength of both sides, saying: “It will be a tough challenge, but one we are approaching with plenty of self-belief.”
Watch: Stuttgart 1-0 Freiburg - previous meeting highlights
“It is hugely important to have the discipline to carry out what you have worked on in your game plan," the 41-year-old continued. "That creates situations where you can take control of the game and dictate it. Both teams are very good at that.”
Although eager to highlight the importance of his side playing their own game, Schuster did acknowledge the irrefutable threat posed by cup holders Stuttgart, who themselves have scored the second most goals in the Bundesliga this term (62) behind only champions Bayern Munich (109).
“Of course, we’ll need a performance where we are at our best in many areas, and we also have to accept that the opposition have their qualities. There will be moments when we have to be ready to suffer,” the coach explained.
Stuttgart may also feel they have the slight edge in terms of freshness, given that they are no longer involved in European competition and Freiburg have a UEFA Europa League semi-final with Portuguese outfit SC Braga looming next week.
Nevertheless, Schuster was quick to dismiss the concerns over the energy levels of his squad, saying: “All you need to do is look into their eyes to see how alert they are. I’m very confident that tomorrow we’ll have the energy we need to win.”
That confidence, however, was reciprocated by his opposite number in the Stuttgart dugout Sebastian Hoeneß, who saw no reason to mince his words when discussing his side’s ambitions: “We’re highly, highly motivated to reach our second DFB Cup final in succession – you can already feel the positive energy among the lads.”
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