SC Freiburg got their chances for the Champions League with a home win against VfL Wolfsburg, Nils Petersen caused great emotions with a goal in his last home game. Wolfsburg is worried about international business.
With the 2-0 (0-0), Freiburg remains in the running for fourth place in the table. The SCF had already secured its place in the Europa League. Captain Christian Günter and Nils Petersen scored the goals in his last home game. “It couldn’t have ended better”Petersen said on ARD radio. “I haven’t celebrated for so long, I didn’t know what to do.”
Wolfsburg, on the other hand, initially fell back to seventh place. That could mean missing out on the European Cup at the end of the season if Eintracht Frankfurt wins the cup and finishes behind seventh. On the last day of the game (all games Saturday, May 27th, 2023 at 3.30 p.m.) Freiburg plays at Eintracht Frankfurt, Wolfsburg welcomes Hertha BSC.
Petersen: Goal after being substituted in in the last game
After an uneventful first half, the second half remained without entertainment value for a long time – until Nils Petersen came on. An emotional moment in the stadium – it should be the last appearance of the long-time Freiburg striker in the home stadium.
And Petersen himself made the story of the game complete. Christian Günther, who was also a substitute, had taken the lead in the 71st minute after assisting Roland Sallai with a shot deflected by Wolfsburg’s Sebastiaan Bornauw – then Petersen followed up: After a low cross from Sallai, Petersen only had to keep his foot in at the second post ( 75.). Petersen scored a second time (80′), the great cheering ended the video assistant, who correctly identified a foul by Freiburg in the build-up to the game.
Freiburg’s Nicolas Höfler saw the red card in injury time – he committed a foul against Luca Waldschmidt.
Emotional farewell to the fans
The fans said goodbye to Petersen with a banner: “No one is bigger than the club – but you were damn close.” Petersen, whose career initially led from Carl Zeiss Jena to Energie Cottbus to Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen, has played more than 200 games for Freiburg since 2015. Jonathan Schmid also said goodbye. He had been struggling with Covid 19 disease for a long time and had to sit out for more than five months. “That such a farewell is prepared for you is phenomenal”said Petersen. He has no plans for the time after his career. Coach Christian Streich stated on ARD: “The boys all have to take Nils as an example. Everyone who has SC Freiburg in their hearts loves Nils Petersen – and there are reasons for that. He’s a role model.”
In addition to Petersen and Schmid, another Freiburg legend said goodbye. Stadium announcer Claus Köhn gave up his position after 35 years at the age of 74. In a farewell video, former national coach Joachim Löw also addressed words to Köhn and said: “You are a legend for me.”