- Despite the absence of Atubolu, Freiburg relies on Muller against Stuttgart
Despite Noah Atubolu resuming his training sessions, Florian Müller is anticipated to man the goalpost for SC Freiburg in their initial Bundesliga clash against VfB Stuttgart. Consequently, the 26-year-old will encounter his ex-employer at the weekend (15:30 CET, broadcast on Sky), having left them last year as their backup goalkeeper. Nevertheless, Müller might not retain his position as the primary goalkeeper for SC for an extended period. "Noah is undeniably our top choice between the sticks. Once he's fully recovered, he'll be back in action," asserted coach Julian Schuster in anticipation of his league debut, taking over from coaching legend Christian Streich. Similar to the field players, Atubolu will make his comeback only when he's fully healed and fully caught up on his training.
Defender Matthias Ginter seems to be edging closer to full recovery. Schuster noted his improved fitness levels, week after week. However, he didn't specify whether Ginter would participate in the Baden-Württemberg derby. On the other hand, Manuel Gulde will certainly be sidelined due to spine issues, and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh remains unavailable following his knee injury and a setback in his recovery process.
After Ginter's progress in recovery, there might be discussions about his potential return to the SC Freiburg squad. Regardless, Germany still has a strong presence in the team, with Florian Müller continuing in goal.
