SC Freiburg has comfortably qualified for the Conference League group stage while there are new developments in the transfer saga surrounding goalkeeper Noah Atubolu. The Bundesliga side defeated FC Motherwell 4:1 in the playoff second leg and now awaits the draw for the league phase starting on October 15th.
How did the decisive match against Motherwell go?
Julian Schuster's team dominated the return leg from the start. Derry Scherhant scored the opening goal for SC Freiburg in the sixth minute. A mistake by new signing Mio Backhaus led to Motherwell's equalizer by Emmanuel Longelo in the 22nd minute. The turning point came with a red card for Motherwell's Jake Girdwood-Reich in the 57th minute. SC Freiburg then showed their clear superiority. Igor Matanovic made it 2:1 in the 60th minute, and just three minutes later Cyriaque Irié increased the lead to 3:1. Keisuke Goto added the final goal in the 85th minute. This was the third win in three competitive matches this season, following a 5:1 victory at Fortuna Düsseldorf in the DFB-Pokal. The early form is promising ahead of the Bundesliga opener against Werder Bremen on Sunday.
What's happening with Noah Atubolu?
A solution appears to be emerging in the transfer poker surrounding goalkeeper Noah Atubolu. According to reports from "Kicker" and "Bild", the 24-year-old has extended his contract at Freiburg, which was originally set to expire in summer 2027."What I can confirm is that this could be a model for a future solution," said Schuster. Atubolu had expressed his desire to move some time ago and initially considered a transfer to the English Premier League. Eintracht Frankfurt now appears to be the preferred destination, with a loan deal including an option to buy being discussed.
Which players are missing for SC Freiburg?
SC Freiburg will be without several injured players in the coming matches. Florent Muslija, Patrick Osterhage and Rihito Yamamoto are currently unavailable. These absences present challenges for coach Schuster's team selection, especially with a congested fixture schedule ahead. The current injury list can be viewed on our injuries page. The team finished last season in eighth place in the Bundesliga with 40 points from 29 games. Their goal difference was 42:47. Ahead of the next competitive match on September 5th at SC Paderborn 07, the squad must compensate for these personnel shortages.
What's next for SC Freiburg?
Following successful qualification, SC Freiburg now awaits the Conference League draw. The league phase begins on October 15th and offers the chance for further international experience. Before that, the Bundesliga opener against Werder Bremen awaits on Sunday. The club can look back on a solid previous season, even though they finished 36 points behind champions Bayern Munich. Current form provides reason for optimism. All upcoming fixtures are listed on our fixtures page. The coming weeks will show whether SC Freiburg can continue the positive development of recent years.
