Of 'Black Sea Waves' and 'gummy bears': Freiburg's Julian Schuster explains Conference League triumph
SC Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster has offered an unusual explanation for his team's impressive 1-0 Conference League victory over Trabzonspor on Thursday evening. The 41-year-old trainer compared the tactical discipline required to overcome the Turkish side to children being told not to touch a tempting supply of Haribo gummy bears.
Freiburgsecured their second Conference League victorythrough a 14th-minute goal from Lukas Kübler, successfully protecting their narrow advantage despite increasing pressure from the hosts after halftime. The victory represented an important response to Freiburg's recent difficulties against stronger opposition.
Defeats against Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, along with a disappointing 0-3 loss to AS Monaco in the Conference League, had raised questions about the Schwarzwaldverein's ability to compete consistently against higher-calibre opponents. Thursday's performance provided an encouraging answer.
Schuster praises Freiburg's tactical discipline Trabzonspor entered the encounter with considerable momentum, having recorded seven consecutive victories under German head coach Thomas Reis. The Turkish outfit's aggressive pressing and dangerous counterattacking play presented a significant challenge for Freiburg.
Schuster's side nevertheless took the initiative early on, repeatedly forcing mistakes in Trabzonspor's buildup through determined pressing of their own. As detailed in Get German Football News' firsthand match report and player ratings, Freiburg created several opportunities during an impressive opening period before Kübler capitalized on André Onana's spilled save to put the visitors ahead.
The Bundesliga representatives subsequently demonstrated an increasingly mature understanding of when to attack and when to exercise restraint. Speaking after the match, Schuster praised the precision with which his players executed their instructions.
Schuster was particularly impressed by the team's ability to resist tempting attacking opportunities when a loss of possession could have left them vulnerable to Trabzonspor's dangerous transitions. "The lads really carried out all the assignments we gave them to perfection," the Freiburg coach explained.
"Whenever there's something tempting, you want to reach for it, but you mustn't give in. I'm thinking of an example involving children and Haribo gummy bears.
They're sitting alone in a room and are told not to touch them." The Freiburg trainer emphasized that resisting such opportunities was particularly demanding from a psychological perspective.