European Cup history: SC Freiburg’s roller coaster ride

SC Freiburg starts the Europa League on Thursday. Whenever the club sniffed the air in Europe, however, the journey thereafter went downhill.

Freiburg has been allowed to dance three times on the European football floor, and three times they got bloody feet. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, the so-called international business is something special for Freiburg coach Christian Streich.

Freiburg, Europe and what came after – these memories make one or the other fan break out in a sweat. Flying high in the Bundesliga and subsequent European Cup nights were usually followed by a relegation hangover.

YouTube video from SWR Sport: “Freiburg and its sports club – the ultimate kick | SWR Sport”

Here is the chronology of the horror that began with what is today an unbelievable success story. In 1995, SC Freiburg finished the Bundesliga season in third place. Dortmund was champion ahead of Bremen and FC Bayern Munich was only sixth.

European Cup Chapter 1: Up and Down

A Jörg Schmadtke guarded the goal, a Rodolfo Cardoso whirled in midfield and Uwe Spieß and Uwe Wassmer attacked, to name just a few.

They made it into the UEFA Cup, but Freiburg failed in the first round of their first international appearance in 1995. With only one goal in two games they were eliminated against Slavia Prague.

Descent in the Bundesliga

The end marked the stop of the first high-altitude flight in Europe. Freiburg had come too close to the sun. This was followed by a descent to eleventh place in the league and in 1997 even relegation.

It seemed as if Freiburg’s stability had gotten into trouble as a result of the trip to Europe. The squad was scrambled, top performers like Cardoso sought their better-paid luck elsewhere. But Freiburg came right back. Permanent coach Volker Finke stayed despite relegation and was a bench on the bench. In 2001, the second entry into international business came with sixth place in the Bundesliga – but again with consequences.

European Cup Chapter 2: It’s going down again

First of all, SC Freiburg made it into the third round of the UEFA Cup – as far as never before. There, Volker Finke’s squad was very unluckily eliminated by Feyenoord Rotterdam. In the decisive game, a 2-0 lead was lost. In the end, Rotterdam handed a 2-2 lead to progress. It was much worse, however, that the burden of the UEFA Cup again took its toll in the Bundesliga. SC Freiburg was relegated again in 2002 as 16th. The squad wasn’t wide enough for the multiple loads this time either.

And again the sports club recovered quickly and came back in 2003 as second division champions. But it took ten years until the third and last chapter of Freiburg’s European Cup history was written.

European Cup Chapter 3: Black Eye

After fifth place at the end of the 2012/13 season, Freiburg was allowed to play in the Europa League. With one win, three draws and two defeats, Freiburg did well. Only in the last game, the 0:2 at home against Sevilla, was progression lost. And again things went down in parallel in the Bundesliga. Then as now, permanent coach number two, Christian Streich, sat on the SC bench. With 14th place, however, relegation could be avoided.

And now? The SC has qualified for the Europa League. But is Freiburg now ready for international business? It seems so.

With the first Bundesliga table lead in 22 years the people of Breisgau can tackle the “European adventure” with a lot of confidence. Departures like that of Top performers like Nico Schlotterbeck were compensated.

Nevertheless, it will be exciting to see how Freiburg will cope with the multiple burdens. In any case, anticipation and euphoria are great. And justified in view of the performance and also the stability of the sports club.

YouTube video from SWR Sport: “SC is back at the top after 22 years ? – YOUR SCF #44 | SWR Sport”