The sun is shining on Achim-Stocker-Straße in more ways than one at the moment. Several SC players have received call-ups to their national teams, some for the first time. Ten goals from the opening three Bundesliga games is a new club record and the league table certainly makes for pleasant viewing. One SCF supporter had clearly been thinking about that last point, as Julian Schuster revealed at his press conference ahead of the trip to Eintracht Frankfurt. “A fan said to me at training today: ‘With nine points, you'd be relegated.’ I thought that was clever.”

SC are top of the Bundesliga for only the fourth time in the club’s history, although they have never gone on to win their next game from that position. Saturday will see Freiburg take on a Frankfurt side who have already turned an opposition turnover into a goal four times this season, more than any other team in the league. “They have a lot of quality and have developed really well over the years. They also have a coach who brings a great sense of calm and authority.”

Schuster believes the mental side of the game will be particularly important against Adi Hütter’s team. The Austrian returned to Frankfurt in July, having previously been in charge of Eintracht between 2018 and 2021. “We’ve put a lot of emphasis on intensity this week. Anyone who happened to drive past the training ground yesterday will have heard that it got a bit louder,” said Schuster. “Those are exactly the emotions we need.”

Reunited with Atubolu

SC will be backed by 4,000 travelling supporters at Deutsche Bank Park, where they will come up against a couple of familiar faces in Ritsu Doan and Noah Atubolu. The latter only joined Eintracht on loan at the end of August. “Atu is a Freiburg boy. His development has been really good. I’m looking forward to giving him a hug after the game,” said Schuster. Atubolu saved his sixth consecutive Bundesliga penalty in Eintracht’s away game at Mainz.

The 24-year-old was called up to the  Germany squad on Thursday, as were Freiburg quartet Derry Scherhant, Yannik Engelhardt, Max Rosenfelder and Philipp Treu. Jordy Makengo has also received his first call-up to the DR Congo squad. “That kind of individual achievement can only happen if you’re being pushed every day to get the very best out of yourself,” said Schuster. “I’m very pleased for the lads. These are the things you dream about as a kid.”

After the game in Frankfurt, all players not away on international duty will have a three-week break from competitive action. The first will give them the chance to recharge before the squad returns to work over the following two weeks.

Photo: SC Freiburg