- The Inception of Schuster's Vision: Freiburg Secures Runner-Up Position in VfB's League
Julian Schuster initiated his Bundesliga tenure as head coach of SC Freiburg with a triumphant debut, inflicting a substantial blow on VfB Stuttgart during their initial encounter. Freiburg triumphantly conquered the local derby against the Swabians 3:1 (1:1), despite suffering an early setback when going behind. Right-back Lukas Kübler was the game's decisive factor, scoring vital goals in the 27th and 61st minutes. Ritsu Doan (54.) also contributed to Freiburg's tally. Ermedin Demirovic (2nd) had previously given the disappointing Stuttgart an early lead before 34,700 spectators.
For Schuster, the former captain and youth coach of Freiburg, it signified a promising start in succeeding Christian Streich in the Bundesliga. Stuttgart endured their second defeat of the season, following their narrow Supercup loss to champions and double-winners Bayer Leverkusen a week prior.
Bizarre twist shocks Stuttgart
Schuster hadn't even settled into his seat when Stuttgart seized an early lead, with Demirovic, who had joined from FC Augsburg for over 20 million euros as a replacement for Serhou Guirassy, executing a stunning side-footed shot from a corner.
Freiburg struggled to recover from the early blow and faced difficulties gaining control of the game. The depleted Stuttgart defense, supported by midfielder Angelo Stiller, was initially hardly challenged. However, after a refreshment break, owing to the high temperatures during the conclusion of the first half, the situation drastically changed.
Refreshment break disturbs Stuttgart's flow
Kübler levelled the score with a powerful, well-placed shot, marking a prolonged period of Freiburg dominance. Vincenzo Grifo missed a chance after evading defenders (30.), while Merlin Röhl was denied by Stuttgart's diligent goalkeeper Alexander Nübel (33.).
The Swabians' mistakes began to pile up, and they offered little offensive threat apart from a weak shot from Deniz Undav (40.) before the half-time break.
Doan scores in peculiar fashion, Kübler completes a brace
Nine minutes into the second half, the game took an unusual turn. Following a splendid Freiburg attack, the ball ended up with Doan. The Japanese player expertly maneuvered past Stuttgart's loaned FC Bayern Munich player Frans Krätzig and goalkeeper Nübel, pushing the ball across the line for a dramatic turn of events.
Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß responded by introducing injured national team player Maximilian Mittelstädt for the ineffective Krätzig, aiming to reinforce his defense. However, Freiburg kept pushing and was ultimately rewarded once more by Kübler. The accomplished 31-year-old expertise headed in from a Grifo corner to make it 3:1, securing the victory. Freiburg's triumph could have been even more decisive in the game's final moments.
Julian Schuster demonstrated his prowess in his first Bundesliga game as Freiburg's head coach, leading them to a 3-1 win over Stuttgart. Despite an early setback, Schuster, who had been the club's captain and youth coach, managed to turn the tide and secure a promising start in replacing Christian Streich.
The victory over Stuttgart marked Julian Schuster's first taste of success in his new role, further boosting the confidence of the Freiburg squad and their fans.
