High-flying Freiburg stay focused as dream run continues

Freiburg coach Julian Schuster spent a decade in the club’s midfield before succeeding long-serving manager Christian Streich and building on his mentor’s legacy. (EPA Images pic) BERLIN: Five months on from their Europa League final appearance, Freiburg sit atop the Bundesliga table as the most successful period in the Black Forest club's history rumbles on.

Freiburg travel to Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday having dropped just two points in five games this season, a better record than defending champions Bayern Munich or perennial challengers Borussia Dortmund.

But in fashion typical to the understated ethos of southwestern Germany, Freiburg are trying to turn down the noise on what their stellar start could become.

Coach Julian Schuster, who spent a decade in Freiburg's midfield before replacing club stalwart Christian Streich as coach in 2024, said he would not even hazard a glance at the Bundesliga table.

"The good thing about my job is I don't need to concern myself with that at all, nor do I need to expend any energy on it," Schuster said emphatically after his side reclaimed top spot from Dortmund at the weekend.

But with Sunday's opponents Leverkusen just two years out from ending a 120-year wait to win a first Bundesliga title, Freiburg do not need to look far for inspiration on their own fairytale run.

Freiburg have gone from strength to strength since their most recent promotion in 2016.

Under Streich, Freiburg shed their yo-yo club status to become a regular member of the top flight, before making a first ever German Cup final in 2022.

Freiburg suffered a defeat on penalties to RB Leipzig in that match but the disappointment did not push them off course. Nor did Streich's departure after a 12-year spell.

Schuster stepped into the void and continued his former mentor's work, taking Freiburg to last season's Europa League final.

Aston Villa won 3-0 and also snatched up star winger Johan Manzambi in the summer, but Freiburg responded well to the double blow to record their best ever start to a campaign this season.

German coach Jurgen Klopp named four Freiburg players in his squad in October, with Derry Scherhant and Philipp Treu looking set for a longer stint in the side after impressive performances.

In an indication of Freiburg's growing importance, German tabloid Bild reports Klopp is expected to skip Saturday's Bayern-Leipzig clash in favour of Sunday's match in Leverkusen.

Not content to merely rub shoulders with the Bundesliga's best, Freiburg are hoping to soon end their 122-year wait for silverware.

Defender Matthias Ginter, a 2014 World Cup winner, is one of the few Freiburg players with silverware and called on the side not to shy away from their dreams.

"We are very ambitious. There's no point beating around the bush. For the past few years we've consistently played in Europe," said Ginter.

"Of course we're happy with the start of the season, but being on top doesn't feel like much. If it were April, it'd be a different story."

After two fifth-placed Bundesliga finishes in four seasons, Freiburg will hope to break through and qualify for the Champions League for the first time.

Freiburg have made the semi-finals of the German Cup in three of the past five seasons, having only once made it that far before.

In this season's Conference League, Freiburg sit alongside Brighton and Atalanta as the favourites, with Schuster coaching his 100th match in Thursday's season opener against Jablonec.

Midfielder Maximilian Eggestein agreed Freiburg would keep plugging on, paying no mind to their lofty table position.

"We just want to keep going. No wild declarations -- that's not gotten us to where we've been in recent years."