Following the latest international break, which saw four SC players book their tickets to the 2026 World Cup, Freiburg travel to face unbeaten FC Bayern München on Bundesliga matchday 10. Despite a fast start from the visitors, the home side would ultimately ensure that streak without losing would continue.

SC made four changes to their starting line-up, with Jordy Makengo, Max Rosenfelder, Derry Scherhant and Lucas Höler coming in for Christian Günter, Philipp Lienhart, Vincenzo Grifo and Junior Adamu. Proceedings at the Allianz Arena began somewhat quietly as both sets of fans remained muted for 12 minutes to protest against discussions set to take place at the Interior Ministers Conference and possible sanctions which would affect football fans.

Freiburg started the match well, although with nothing initially to show for their endeavours. Niklas Beste flashed the ball across the six-yard box from a tight angle, but no visiting player was on hand to benefit. Also during the fans’ atmosphere boycott, in the fourth minute, Rosenfelder was able to loop the ball over Manuel Neuer, but sent his effort onto the roof of the net. He also found himself in an offside position.

Clever set-piece routine sees away side go ahead

Their tally of three corners won within the opening 12 minutes demonstrated Freiburg’s approach from the off. Their attacking intent ensured the crowd did not stay quiet for long, at least those fans of an SC persuasion. Following a low delivery from Beste’s corner, which Matthias Ginter eye-catchingly flicked on with a back heel, the onrushing Yuito Suzuki rounded off the routine as he finished from 10 yards. That marked the visitors’ eighth goal from a set piece this season and the ninth was to arrive shortly after.

Just five minutes later, SC went 2-0 up away to Bayern as Beste curled his cross high into the box this time around. Johan Manzambi climbed highest in the area before heading home over the keeper. The lead was far from undeserved on the balance of play up until that point, since Freiburg were playing with courage and profiting from well-worked dead balls. Bayern had produced little going forward before the 22nd minute, when their first slick move culminated in a goal. It was Lennart Karl who swept in from a half-right position to half the deficit.

Bayern grow stronger before Ginter is on hand to clear

In the aftermath, the hosts grew more and more into the game, taking control of possession as SC remained pinned back in their own half. The closing minutes of regulation time in the opening period saw both teams go close once more. Suzuki missed the target from 22 yards out after good individual play. Ginter then prevented an equaliser down the other end following low, fizzing cross. The centre-half slid in to clear as Aleksandar Pavlovic looked set to finish. Bayern did nevertheless find a leveller before the break through Michael Olise, whose shot was too hot to handle for Noah Atubolu, although SC’s goalkeeper saw the attempt late.

SC head coach Julian Schuster felt satisfied with the way proceedings began: “We came out of the blocks with courage and put into action much of what we had planned beforehand. We afforded them little to nothing until the first goal that we conceded went in.”

The hosts complete the comeback

Bayern showed intensity from the off after the restart and turned the match around in the 55th minute as Dayot Upamecano latched onto the end of a corner to make it 3-2. The record champions appeared to have got into their groove and things started to come more naturally. The result was a fourth goal, scored by Harry Kane on the hour mark.

The hosts had flipped the game on its head following Freiburg’s strong start but showed no signs of letting up as Luis Diaz’s rasping shot was sent narrowly off target (69’). SC ventures into Munich half were few and far between but Eren Dinkci curled a shot over the crossbar in the 74th minute before Beste was unable to control a cross delivered by Patrick Osterhage.

Bayern added gloss to the score line in the closing stages as Nicolas Jackson provided a fifth goal before Olise rounded out the scoring with a curling effort to make it 6-2. Maximilian Eggestein criticised the team’s “poor defending” in the second half, while Schuster was also disappointed by the showing after the break: “We were unable to perform to the standards we did during the first period in the second. On the one hand, that is down to Bayern’s attacking quality but on the other is that we were not defending well any more. The bottom line is that our display was better than the final result.”

SC’s next away trip is pencilled in for this coming Thursday when they travel to face Viktoria Pilsen in the Europa League. The following Bundesliga fixture sees 1. FSV Mainz 05 come to the Europa-Park Stadion.

Photo: Jöran Steinisek