Julian Schuster named an unchanged starting XI from the home draw against Borussia Dortmund. The most talked-about personnel decision this afternoon came from the hosts, however. Shortly before kick-off, VfL Wolfsburg announced that interim coach Daniel Bauer had been appointed head coach on a permanent basis.

After making several changes to the line-up, Bauer had guided Wolfsburg back onto a positive path in recent weeks, recording two wins and a draw. That run, though, came to an end against SC.

Fast start for SC, quick response from the Wolves

Freiburg could hardly have wished for a better start at the Volkswagen Arena, taking the lead inside five minutes. A deflected pass from Yuito Suzuki fell kindly for Treu, who struck first time from inside the box, firing the ball into the top corner to net his first goal of the season. The game was lively from the outset, with both teams committing forward and Wolfsburg soon rewarded their own attacking intent. After Treu lost possession, the hosts broke quickly and Dženan Pejčinović gave Noah Atubolu no chance to make it 1-1 – not his last contribution to the scoreline.

Wolfsburg enjoyed a burst of momentum after the equaliser, though it remained an open contest. Freiburg came close again in the 27th minute, working the ball smartly down the left before Lucas Höler laid it off for Suzuki, whose low effort struck the inside of the post and rolled agonisingly along the goal line.

When Johan Manzambi lost the ball deep in Wolfsburg territory in the 40th minute, the hosts countered at pace through Patrick Wimmer, but Christian Eriksen’s low cross was easily dealt with by the Freiburg defence.

Chaotic start to the second half

Vincenzo Grifo was introduced to the action at half-time, ahead of a chaotic start to the second half. “A game that would thrill every football fan,” Schuster would later call it. In the 49th minute, Wolfsburg went ahead when Atubolu played the ball straight into Pejčinović’s path, and the striker made it 2-1. Freiburg almost responded immediately: Treu was denied from close range by Kamil Grabara and Suzuki’s follow-up from two metres was cleared off the line, before Manzambi hit the side netting moments later.

The action barely paused, and in the 55th minute referee Sascha Stegemann pointed to the spot after Höler was brought down. Grifo stepped up and converted confidently to level the score at 2-2 (56’), celebrating his 70th Bundesliga goal in an SC shirt. The German-Italian is now Freiburg’s record goalscorer in the division.

The match then tilted back in Wolfsburg’s favour in the 69th minute, when Pejčinović once again found space in front of goal and completed his hat-trick.

SC turn the game around

Freiburg’s reply in this breathless encounter came just two minutes later. From a corner, Anthony Jung flicked the ball on to Matthias Ginter, whose effort crossed the line with the help of Wolfsburg defender Jenson Seelt, who inadvertently turned it into his own net.

With fans at the Volkswagen Arena glued to the edge of their seats, there was still time for another twist. In the 78th minute, substitute Derry Scherhant was picked out by Manzambi before smashing the ball under the crossbar to make it 4-3. It proved to be the decisive moment of a turbulent contest, even though Wolfsburg threw everything forward in the closing stages.

Schuster summed up the dramatic match after the final whistle and paid tribute to his team: “From the start it was a game played at very high intensity. Both teams gave everything. It’s remarkable that the lads can still produce a performance like that, mentally and physically, after such a demanding schedule. We’re now on 20 points and still involved in all three competitions – that’s great.”

Freiburg head into the short winter break with an away win, their first since the match at Werder Bremen on matchday 4. “We gave ourselves the best possible Christmas present,” said a smiling Schuster. SC will be back in action for the first time in the new year with a home game against Hamburger SV on 10th January.

Photo: SC Freiburg