SC Freiburg head coach addresses Nico Schlotterbeck’s outburst ahead of Borussia Dortmund visit | OneFootball

Since moving to the new confines of the Europa Park Stadion, SC Freiburg have failed to gain a single point in three Bundesliga meetings with Borussia Dortmund. On all three occasions that Dortmund visited Breisgau, Freiburg found themselves thoroughly thrashed by their guests. Freiburg last won at home against BVB in late August of 2021 in one of the final matches played at the Dreisamstadion. 

SCF head coach Julian Schuster made clear that he didn’t wish to discuss “past statistics” while speaking at his Saturday pre-match press conference. After all, there are plenty of positive headwinds for Freiburg heading into the next encounter. Thursday’s home victory over RB Salzburg gives Freiburg five consecutive home wins on-the-spin. There’s also the matter of Dortmund’s depleted defensive corps.

Interestingly enough, the last time Freiburg beat Dortmund at home, it was homegrown defender Nico Schlotterbeck who earned man-of-the-match honors. Schlotterbeck kept the BVB front line of Erling Haaland and Donyell Malen quiet with some excellent consistent defensive work. Schlotterbeck now finds himself the center of controversy for comments made after Dortmund’s disappointing midweek Champions League draw.

Schuster’s words for Nico Schlotterbeck

“Sometimes there’s a sharp reaction,” Schuster said when asked about Schlotterbeck’s outburst. “But he could have waited a week to make those comments. At least we know that we’ll have to prepare for a team that is sharp and ready to defend with discipline.

Schuster’s confidence ahead of Borussia Dortmund

“There’s no ned to talk about fatigue,” Schuster said of his team’s packed fixture list. “One can always muster up new energy when the finish line of the marathon is in sight. At home, with our fans, we’ll draw on that extra bit of energy and work hard for them [the supporters], 

“We’ll strive to deliver a performance [like that of Thursday],” Schuster concluded. “With a team bounded by emotion, passion, and cohesion on the pitch.”

GGFN | Peter Weis