SC Freiburg 2025/26 season preview: Transfers, pre-season, predicted lineup & predictions  | OneFootball

2024/25 Recap

Freiburg are coming off the back of a stellar 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign, finishing in fifth place and securing Europa League qualification. Much of that success was due to their impressive end-of-season form, losing just three of their final fifteen league matches.

At one stage, the side from the Black Forest even looked set to claim the fourth and final Champions League spot, which they held heading into the final day. However, a defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt handed fourth place to Borussia Dortmund.

Following the departure of long-serving head coach Christian Streich, who spent twelve years at the helm, many fans were understandably anxious about what may lie ahead. But Julian Schuster stepped in and quickly quelled those concerns, overseeing a smooth transition and guiding the team back to Europe in his first season in charge. A former Freiburg player himself, Schuster possesses a deep understanding of the club’s identity, allowing him to instill discipline and structure from day one. His side’s compact, organised defensive setup and rapid transitional play proved a nightmare for many opponents.

Despite narrowly missing out on a Champions League berth, the overall feeling among coaches, players, and fans was one of pride and accomplishment. Schuster himself said after the final match: “We didn’t lose anything today, rather we gained something. Pride has got to be the overriding emotion. It’s great to have the chance to coach such a great team. We’ve consistently improved and dealt with setbacks well. Everything and everyone, the team, coaching staff, club employees and also our passionate fans, have contributed to us having the chance to play in Europe again.”

Pre-season preparations

Freiburg kicked off pre-season with a 2-1 win over Regionalliga side SV Sandhausen, before heading to Austria for a nine-day training camp in Schruns. Whilst there, they beat SC Altach 3-0 and played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with newly promoted 2. Bundesliga side Dynamo Dresden.

Back in Germany, Freiburg played a pair of behind-closed-doors split-squad friendlies against Hamburger SV, resulting in a 1-1 draw and a commanding 4-0 victory. They’ll round off their preparations this Saturday with a friendly against Osasuna, who finished ninth in La Liga last season.

Off the pitch, the club displayed a huge show of support for Schuster and his back-room staff with the announcement of a contract extension mid-July. “Julian and his team did some incredibly impressive work last season,” praised Chief Sporting Officer Jochen Saier. “Julian brings a tremendous level of expertise and identification with the club. The team’s development is clearly moving in the right direction and there’s a real sense of togetherness. It just feels right. That’s why we’re delighted to have extended his contract.”

Transfers

Freiburg will be pleased to have kept the core of last season’s squad together as they look to build on a top-five finish. The only notable departure to date is Kiliann Sildillia, who joined Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven for €5.8 million. Freiburg responded quickly, securing Philipp Treu from St. Pauli for €5.5 million - a move that could prove to be a smart like-for-like replacement.

Further arrivals to bolster the already impressive squad include: Igor Matanović (Eintracht Frankfurt), Cyriaque Irié (Troyes), Derry Scherhant (Hertha BSC), Yuito Suzuki (Brøndby) and Anthony Jung (Werder Bremen). Freiburg have heavily favoured attacking reinforcements this offseason, with fans excited to see what their now loaded attacking options can deliver in the upcoming season.

However, one major story continues to linger: the possible departure of Ritsu Doan. Reports suggest a move to Eintracht Frankfurt for around €20 million could be imminent. As last season’s top scorer with ten league goals, replacing his output would be a challenge and could be key to Freiburg’s continued success.

Balancing act of European and domestic football

After securing a well deserved place in the Europa League, the upcoming season represents a different kind of challenge for Schuster during his second season in charge, as the club vie to maintain their domestic form whilst challenging in Europe also. A balancing act that has often tested the depth and resilience of similar-sized Bundesliga sides in the past.

Freiburg has some recent experience to draw on. In both previous group-stage appearances under Christian Streich, the club managed the European workload admirably - finishing fifth in the Bundesliga in 2022/23 and only narrowly missing out on Europe the following season on goal difference. Schuster will be fully aware of those benchmarks and may even seek inspiration from his predecessor on how best to handle the road ahead as the fixture list begins to pile up.

Squad rotation and maintaining fitness will be absolutely crucial. Encouragingly, the club’s summer recruitment strategy has reflected this need. In particular, the attacking reinforcements brought in should provide the flexibility required to compete on multiple fronts. At the same time, experienced leaders like Christian Günter, Nicolas Höfler and Vincenzo Grifo will play a vital role in keeping the team grounded and consistent across both competitions.

Tactically, Freiburg may need to adjust their approach between matches. The high-intensity style often employed in the Bundesliga may not be sustainable twice a week. Finding moments to control the tempo and conserve energy - especially in European away fixtures - could help keep legs fresh for the domestic weekend games.

Predicted line-up

4-2-3-1: Atubolu (GK) - Günter, Ginter, Lienhart, Treu - Eggestein, Osterhage - Grifo, Suzuki, Irié - Matanović

As it stands, Julian Schuster faces a welcome selection dilemma - particularly in attack. With four new attacking signings, it’s unclear how he plans to integrate them all, but this depth could prove vital in managing the demands of domestic and European football.

Young talents Merlin Röhl and Johan Manzambi - both of whom caught the eye when featuring last season - will be pushing for more minutes this year especially with the extra fixtures. Both are heading into the new campaign in good form, following impressive summers with Germany’s U21s and the Swiss senior national team, respectively.

What to expect from next season?

A second season under Schuster offers plenty of reason for optimism. An exciting coach with Freiburg DNA, he has already shown he can get the best out of this squad. With smart recruitment and a clear tactical identity, this team looks capable of taking the next step. If everything clicks, Freiburg could genuinely challenge for a Champions League spot - which would be a historic first for the club.

SC Freiburg’s 2025/26 campaign will hinge on maintaining the standards set last year while navigating the added strain of European competition. A balance of youth, experience, and tactical discipline makes them a serious top-six contender once again.

They begin their competitive season with a trip to Sportfreunde Lotte in the DFB Pokal, before welcoming Augsburg to the Europa-Park Stadion as they aim to hit the ground running in the Bundesliga.