The surprise team of SC Freiburg starts the training camp. Coach Christian Streich doesn’t believe that SC can keep second place.
When the SC Freiburg entourage takes off towards Spain on Wednesday, the high-flyers from Breisgau must already take into account the hard landing on reality. At least that’s what Christian Streich predicts. “We’re not staying there anyway, that’s clear anyway,” said the coach when looking at the Bundesliga table, which shows his protégés as the first Bayern hunters: “I hope everyone stays reasonable.”
Although Streich, in his usual skeptical manner, does not believe that his surprise team can keep second place, the successful coach is basically relaxed before the ten-day training camp in Sotogrande. “I’m happy because we’re doing great and you don’t have to worry about playing in the Bundesliga again next year,” said the 57-year-old on SWR: “It’s wonderful.”
What Freiburg delivered before the World Cup and winter break was also largely wonderful. The SC, who are four points behind record champions Bayern Munich, have never had 30 points after 15 match days. In addition, the people of Breisgau easily made it into the round of 16 in the Europa League, and last year’s finalists are still part of the DFB Cup.
First test against Wolfsburg
“It’s all great,” said Streich, who still doesn’t want to trust the roast. “We managed a few things quite well together,” said the longest-serving Bundesliga coach, who has now been in office for eleven years: “But if it’s different in a year, which is quite likely, or if it’s a fight against relegation again then I hope that we can tackle it together. Just like you can now enjoy the European Cup games together.”
European Cup is the keyword. Because although Streich looks ahead rather pessimistically, the pros want to make it into the Champions League for the first time after just missing out on participation at the end of last season. The players around captain Christian Günter and the other World Cup participants Matthias Ginter, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh, Woo-Yeong Jeong and Ritsu Doan have repeatedly hinted at this in their most recent statements.
The first test is on January 21 at VfL Wolfsburg. By then it should also be clear with which squad the SC will go into the rest of the season. Keven Schlotterbeck has already been loaned out to league rivals VfL Bochum. Kevin Schade, Hugo Siquet and Noah Weißhaupt are also considered change candidates. Especially with regard to Schade, those responsible could become weak with a lavish offer from the English Premier League club FC Brentford.
Incidentally, this does not apply to Streich. At another club he would be “completely lost”, the coach recently stated. Prank stays – but that’s clear anyway.