Freiburg still hopeful of a ‘special season’ following spectacular comeback victory against Stuttgart | OneFootball

Matters were looking especially grim for SC Freiburg at the Europa Park Stadion in Breisgau on Saturday afternoon. Julian Schuster’s SCF – after losing their first two Bundesliga fixtures of the 2025/26 campaign against Augsburg and FC Köln – trailed Stuttgart 0-1 heading into the 80th-minute. Few either on the pitch or in the stands could have predicted a furious comeback that saw Freiburg ultimately take the match 3-1.

Three goals scored in quick succession came from two players Schuster brought on as substitutes. Exciting new summer signing Igor Matanovic bagged a brace with one goal from open play and another from the spot. Another intriguing targeted summer acquisition – former Hertha BSC man Derry Scherhant – recorded his second Bundesliga goal after a wait of nearly two years.

Schuster understandably had some difficulty calming down afterwards. A season that could have begun with three straight losses now suddenly brims with hope. Freiburg have their first three points of the season. Two new players commemorated important top flight milestones. The SCF head coach’s voice remained hoarse both in his post-match Sky Germany interview and later at the post-match press conference.

“After the last two games and being 0-1 down today, one needs a lot of character and personality to come back,” Schuster remarked afterwards. “We have that in our team. What I see every day, how the team behaves, how they train, how they interact with each other. That is the basis for a team to function and be able to win games.

“The pressure helped us remain focused,” Schuster also noted. “We witnessed the emotions we wanted to see today. We owed it to ourselves and needed to prove it to ourselves. [As a coach], I can’t just demand emotion and passion. I have to deliver it myself.”

“Starting the season with three defeats would have put a lot of pressure on us,” veteran Freiburg and German national team defender Mathias Ginter added in the mixed zone. “This could be a turning point. After messing up early, a special season could be in store. I hope today was the opening salvo.“

GGFN | Peter Weis