Getting to know: Freiburg

Founded in 1904, Freiburg earned promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time at the end of the 1992/93 season under then head coach Volker Finke, who was at the helm from 1991 to 2007, making him the longest-serving head coach ever in German football.

Nicknamed Die Breisgauer on account of their geographical location in the eponymous region of the country, they established a reputation of being something of a yo-yo team - suffering relegation three times but bouncing back up straight away on two occasions. However, they are now a Bundesliga regular after five straight seasons at the top table. Among their many famous former sons, long-time Germany coach Joachim Löw is arguably the most notable and was for many years the club's all-time leading scorer with 81 goals in 252 appearances spread across three spells.

Bundesliga 2 champions (1992/93, 2002/03, 2008/09, 2015/16)

Coach

Is there a more charismatic coach anywhere in world football? Born and raised in Freiburg, Christian Streich cycles to work, encourages his players to vote and is unashamedly open and direct in voicing his opinion – in his trademark thick Black Forest accent - on a range of topics, from football to the environment and politics.

That should not distract from his ability on the touchline, however. Streich is currently by far the longest serving manager in the Bundesliga, having taken over in 2011, and has worked wonders at a club with one of the smallest budgets in the top flight. Famed for bringing through talented youngsters, Vincenzo Grifo, Max Kruse and Maximilian Philipp are just a few of the stars to have benefited from his guidance.

Although 32 and no longer a regular starter, that doesn’t really matter to Nils Petersen. After all, he’s the highest scoring substitute in Bundesliga history with 29 goals. The two-time Germany international is also Freiburg’s record goalscorer – ousting Löw, the man who gave him those two caps – with 95 goals in 213 appearances as of the end of 2020/21. Returns of that nature mean he remains a talismanic figure in the Black Forest.

Watch: Petersen on becoming Freiburg's all-time top scorer

Freiburg came very close to emulating their eighth-place finish from 2019/20, winning 12 games instead of 13 to end the campaign in 10th. Perhaps a slight disappointment, but for a club whose primary objective is to avoid relegation, they never really had to worry about that in 2020/21 as they never dropped below 14th and sat comfortably in mid-table. A 5-0 thrashing of Cologne was a standout result in January as they finished the season with their third-highest goals tally ever in the Bundesliga (52).

Watch: Highlights of the 5-0 win over Cologne

The stadium

Freiburg's Schwarzwaldstadion was opened in 1955 and underwent several reconstructions in the 1990s, increasing capacity in each of the terraces to its present limit of 24,000 (10,000 standing), making it one of the smallest in the Bundesliga. Nevertheless, the most recent census recorded Freiburg's population at just over 220,000, meaning one in every ten people is present at every home game. The club sold out 99.6 per cent of seats in 2018/19, which was second only to Bayern in the league.

Proud of its reputation as being Germany's greenest city, the stadium produces 250,000 kwh of electricity each year thanks to the solar panels installed on the roof. A new, larger arena (34,700 capacity) is to be even more environmentally friendly and is nearing completion. The plan was to move into it by this season, and the club have registered both the Schwarzwald and new SC-Stadion as home grounds for when the time finally comes.

The city

A quaint university city nestled in the south-west corner of Germany, Freiburg has a unique appeal that inevitably charms anyone who visits. With its rolling hills and the warmest climate in the country, there are plenty of outdoor activities to keep you entertained, from hiking to mountain biking and skiing in the winter, while there is also a wide selection of excellent locally-produced wines.

The city's proximity to France, which is less than 30 minutes away by car, has influenced its gastronomy: the Flammenkuchen – Freiburg's version of tarte flambée - is a must. By the way, the Black Forest gateau hails from this area so this is the place to try it. Enjoy a typically generous doorstop-sized slice as a welcome treat alongside an afternoon coffee.

Getting there

Freiburg doesn't have a commercial airport but there are several nearby that serve the city. Flights from most major European destinations arrive at Basel/Mulhouse airport, which is under an hour away, while Strasbourg and Baden-Baden are also very close by. Public transport to and from Freiburg is also excellent, with regular train and bus services arriving at the 'Hauptbahnhof' in the heart of the city, including high-speed long-distance trains from as far away as Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Cologne and Zurich, which all have major international airports.

Freiburg is famed for being a bike-friendly city, and the stadium's picturesque location along the bank of the Dreisam river means many fans arrive on two wheels on matchdays. If you have enough time and fancy a stroll, simply follow the river eastwards until you see the stadium. Otherwise, take tram line 1 from the main station towards Littenweiler and get off at Römerhof.​

Buying tickets

Tickets can still be bought via the official club website HERE.

Can’t make it? Watch here:

If you can’t make it to the stadium, Bundesliga matches are broadcast around the world. ESPN provides coverage in the United States, while BT Sports are the exclusive broadcaster in the United Kingdom. In Germany, Sky Sports show the majority of matches, with DAZN hosting one match per week.

Buy the kit

You can get your own Freiburg jersey from the official club shop.