Freiburg remain unbeaten in the UEFA Europa League's league phase after four matches. - © IMAGO/JOERAN STEINSIEK

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Fantastic Freiburg take next UEFA Europa League scalp in Nice

06.11.2025

A superb comeback win in Nice ensured Freiburg remain unbeaten in the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League, with Yuito Suzuki at the heart of a brilliant attacking display.

Nice 1-3 Freiburg
Goals: 1-0 Kevin Carlos 25' (assist: Vanhoutte), 1-1 Manzambi 29' (assist: Suzuki), 1-2 Grifo (pen.) 39', 1-3 Scherhant 42' (assist: Ginter)

Freiburg stunned Nice with a blistering first-half turnaround after they fell behind to a Kevin Carlos strike.

Johan Manzambi slotted in an equaliser after he was played in by Suzuki. The Japanese attacker was felled for a penalty that Vincenzo Grifo converted, before Derry Scherhant added a third following another fluent attacking move.

Nice posed little threat for the Freiburg backline in the second half as the visitors moved on to 10 points from four games.

Die Breisgauer visit Czech outfit Viktoria Plzeň in their fifth league phase fixture on 27 November.

See Freiburg's Europa League fixtures here

Recap the action against Nice below...

1 - 3

(1 - 3)

Nice

FINAL

Freiburg

Europa League
League phase, Matchday 4 League phase, Matchday 4 Allianz Riviera, Nice

Full-time: Nice 1-3 Freiburg

Freiburg continue to fly in the Europa League, holding on in style in the second half after that brilliant comeback in the first period! That's ten points in the bag in the league phase after four matches.

Full-time

90'

+ 2

Atubolu again!

The Freiburg goalkeeper makes a strong save to deny Cho, who shoots right in front of the target.

89'

Höfler hurt

Höfler is brought to the sidelines to be treated after going down as we head towards stoppage time - with four additional minutes indicated.

85'

A good night at the back

Nice have struggled to test Noah Atubolu thanks in large part to Freiburg's organised defending.

Shots on goal

Freiburg comfortable

Nice have offered little attacking threat throughout the second half.

78'

Fourth change for Freiburg

Kübler, who was on a booking, is replaced by Rosenfelder as Julian Schuster looks to see the lead over the line.

78'

Substitution

Max Rosenfelder

Lukas Kübler

77'

Substitution

Isak Jansson

Kevin Carlos

76'

Boudaoui blasts over

Freiburg restrict Nice to an effort from distance, which Boudaoui sends well over.

73'

Yellow card

Lukas Kübler

73'

Nice pushing

After making a triple change of their own, Nice have a good spell and get a couple of penalty appeals turned down.

69'

Substitution

Tom Louchet

Tiago Gouveia

69'

Substitution

Hicham Boudaoui

Charles Vanhoutte

69'

Substitution

Morgan Sanson

Salis Abdul Samed

68'

Eggestein effort

Freiburg continue to fashion chances easily, with the midfielder firing over.

66'

Goalscorers taken off

Julian Schuster makes a triple change - with the three goalscorers all making way.

66'

Substitution

Niklas Beste

Derry Scherhant

66'

Substitution

Lucas Höler

Vincenzo Grifo

66'

Substitution

Nicolas Höfler

Johan Manzambi

64'

So nearly another!

Adamu goes through completely on goal after a defender slips, but he allows the ball to run ahead of him, and Diouf gets out to turn it away just in time.

60'

Scherhant steers wide

Freiburg find plenty of space going forward once more, and Derry Scherhant can fire a shot in from the edge of the box - it's a decent effort but zips just wide.

59'

Kevin Carlos caught offisde

The attacker sends a header wide from right in front of Noah Atubolu - but is flagged offside, saving his blushes.

55'

No way through for Nice

The hosts get men forward as Boga clips in a free-kick from the right, but Mendy's shot is blocked by the mass of Freiburg players back in the area.

53'

Chance for a fourth!

Grifo's free-kick is flicked behind by a defender for a corner, which sails over the stranded Diouf in the Nice goal and is met by Kübler at the far post, but it's too high and at too tight an angle for him to steer it into the empty net.

51'

First booking for Freiburg

Lienhart is the first name for the referee to note tonight.

51'

Yellow card

Philipp Lienhart

48'

Nice mean business

You can sense the hosts want to step up a gear and look for a way back in the tie. Goalscorer Kevin Carlos has a header in the box that Noah Atubolu saves with ease.

46'

Substitution

Mohamed-Ali Cho

Ali Abdi

46'

We're back out

Can Freiburg hold on for another European win after that brilliant end to the first half?

Kick-off!

Half-time: Nice 1-3 Freiburg

What a half for Freiburg, who seem to just love the Europa League! The Black Forest club fell behind after an even start, but came roaring back with some superb attacking football that exploited an underconfident Nice defence to send them well on course for another big three points!

Half-time

45'

Into stoppage time

Two minutes are indicated before Julian Schuster's boys can take a well-deserved break...

42'

Freiburg go further in front!

What a comeback! More superb attacking play as Suzuki cuts the ball in from the left and Ginter tucks it back for Scherhant to smash in for a third goal!

42'

Derry Scherhant

GOAL!

1:3

41'

Confidence boost

After three defeats out of three, Nice's heads seem to be bowed as Freiburg continue to be on top and look for another goal before the break...

Goal for Grifo!

The captain makes no mistake from the spot - sending Diouf the wrong way and putting Freiburg in front.

39'

Vincenzo Grifo

GOAL!

1:2

Penalty

37'

Penalty to Freiburg!

Suzuki is tripped in the box, and now the Bundesliga side have a chance to take the lead...

37'

A pair of chances!

Freiburg force two good saves from Diouf in the Nice goal! Grifo and Scherhant both hit their strikes well and force the goalkeeper into a pair of diving stops.

33'

Freiburg come again

The hosts don't seem too sure of themselves at the back suddenly and are giving Freiburg space between the lines, but this time Nice can clear...

29'

Freiburg strike back!

An immediate equaliser! Freiburg get forward in numbers and Suzuki lays the ball off to Manzambi on the right, who smashes into the roof of the net via a deflection!

29'

Johan Manzambi

GOAL!

1:1

27'

How can Freiburg respond?

The hosts have gained an additional boost by the crowd after getting that opening goal - while their plan of sitting deep and hitting Freiburg on the break could be a tough one for the Bundesliga outfit to combat...

25'

Nice go in front

Freiburg are outmanoeuvred with a swift attack that sees Vanhoutte knock a good pass behind the defence for Kevin Carlos to chase and finish emphatically past Noah Atubolu.

25'

Kevin Carlos

GOAL!

1:0

23'

Advantage on the shot count

There have been no real openings at either end yet, however.

Shots

18'

Lienhart the Lionheart

The Freiburg defender gets in a good block to stop Boga on a quick break for the hosts.

16'

Adamu with an effort

The striker probes Diouf and draws a save.

13'

Bossing the ball

Freiburg have been moving the ball around confidently - a promising start...

Possession (%)

Defences on top

Both sides have been taking the ball forward, with the hosts looking to launch quick attacks - but the defences are holding firm.

Freiburg threaten

Scherhant hits the visitors' first effort on goal - but Diouf saves with ease.

Pinball

Nice's first opportunity comes in an unusual way - Matthias Ginter tried to smash a clearance forward that hit Boga and flew back towards the Freiburg target, but went wide.

Freiburg on the front foot

Manzambi has an effort blocked as the visitors venture forward - before we need a break for the referee to swap the ball...

We're off!

The Bundesliga side get us underway in the South of France.

Kick-off!

Nice to see you

The Grande Stade de Nice is the site of tonight's clash.

More on that Nice team

Sofiane Diop is a surprise inclusion in the number 10 position for Nice, having been a big injury doubt. 42-year-old former Gladbach, Bayern and Wolfsburg centre-back Dante (pictured) is still in Nice's squad but is injured.

More on that Freiburg team

Julian Schuster makes four changes to the side that started the 0-0 draw at Union Berlin on Saturday, with Kübler, Lienhart, Scherhant and Suzuki (pictured) coming in for Treu, Rosenfelder, Beste and Höler.

Nice starting XI

Diouf - Mendy, Bah, Bard (c) - Tiago Gouveia, Vanhoutte, Abdul Samed, Abdi - Diop - Kevin Carlos, Boga

Nice subs

Zelazowski, Dupé, Boudaoui, Sanson, Louchet, Jansson, Ndombélé, Cho, Mantsounga Makouango, Oppong, Nguene

Freiburg starting XI

Atubolu - Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Makengo - Eggestein, Manzambi - Scherhant, Suzuki, Grifo (c) - Adamu

Freiburg subs

Müller, Huth, Jung, Osterhage, Höler, Beste, Philipp, Höfler, Treu, Günter, Matanović, Rosenfelder

Latest team news

While Eren Dinkçi is ruled out of tonight's game with a hip complaint, Patrick Osterhage has shaken off a muscular issue and is among the travelling contingent.

Travelling support

Freiburg will be backed by 1,500 vociferous travelling fans on the Côte d'Azur this evening with the Allianz Riviera stadium set to be a sell-out for this intriguing Europa League encounter.

Julian Schuster on facing Nice

“They defend with great discipline as a unit. It is difficult to create chances against them. At the same time, they are very effective in transition, and we will need to adapt to that. They have faced very stiff competition until now and may have deserved one or two points more.”

Franck Haise (Nice's Coach) on facing Freiburg

"They're a team that knows what to do with the ball, and they also have the ability to play quite vertically with direct play and, at times, a lot of players on the defensive line. They're capable of creating chances on the second or third ball. Freiburg is a complete team that can vary its systems and even use hybrid systems, with quality athleticism and good individual players. A complete team that performs well in the Europa League. I understand why when I watch them."

Nice's tough time in Europe

Nice have struggled so far in the Europa League, losing all three of their games 2-1. This currently has the French side sitting 33rd in the table.

Grifo wants goals

Of slight concern for Freiburg going into Thursday's encounter in the south of France is that the Bundesliga team have failed to win any of their last five games in Germany's top flight while they haven't scored in three of those. Speaking after the scoreless draw in Berlin at the weekend, Vincenzo Grifo said, "We have to score goals and take our chances; [and] you don't get more [chances] than we had at Union."

2:03

Draw on the road

Freiburg's last away day came as recently as last weekend, when the Black Forest side were held to a scoreless draw by Union Berlin in the Bundesliga.

Story so far

Thursday's visitors to France boast fine form in Europe so far this season. Julian Schuster's team are unbeaten with two wins and a draw in their three games and sit sixth in the UEL table on seven points with three other teams. In beating Basel and Utrecht and holding Bologna, Freiburg scored seven times through seven different goalscorers.

Impressive European run

Freiburg have lost just two of their last 11 UEFA Europa League matches (W7 D2), although both those defeats came away from home.

Grifo eyeing Gregoritsch record

Vincenzo Grifo's effort in the 2-0 win over Utrecht on Matchday 3 was his seventh in Europe for Freiburg. Only former team-mate Michael Gregoritsch (eight) has netted more goals for the club in continental competition.

Welcome!

Welcome along and thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of Freiburg's Europa League encounter with Nice on Matchday 4 of the league phase, which kicks off at 6.45pm CET on Thursday.