Of ‘Black Sea Waves’ and ‘gummy bears’: Freiburg’s Julian Schuster explains Conference League triumph

Freiburg's Julian Schuster analyzed his team's triumph in the Conference League against Trabzonspor in a unique manner. The 41-year-old coach likened the tactical discipline needed to beat the Turkish side to children being told not to touch a tempting supply of Haribo gummy bears. SC Freiburg secured their second Conference League win with a 14th-minute goal from Lukas Kübler, holding off Trabzonspor's mounting pressure after halftime.

The victory marked a significant comeback after Freiburg's recent struggles against stronger opponents in the Bundesliga and the Conference League. Schuster commended his team's tactical discipline, particularly their ability to resist tempting attacking opportunities when losing possession could leave them vulnerable. He compared the team's resilience to their performance during a recent Bundesliga victory over Schalke, highlighting their growing maturity in handling difficult circumstances.

Trabzonspor's aggressive pressing and counterattacks posed a significant challenge, but Freiburg demonstrated a strong defensive unit and goalkeeper Mio Backhaus made a crucial save to deny an equalizer to Mohamed Salah. The result leaves Freiburg with six points from their first three Conference League fixtures, strengthening their prospects of advancing to the Round-of-16.