Julian Schuster on Freiburg’s shorthanded victory: “The team and fans were there for Yuito.”

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SC Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster has praised his players for their remarkable response to Yuito Suzuki’s dismissal during Sunday evening’s dramatic 2-1 Bundesliga victory over FC Schalke 04. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Schuster acknowledged his disappointment with the Japanese international’s loss of composure but emphasised the collective response that enabled Freiburg to secure all three points despite their numerical disadvantage.

The Breisgau club initially dominated Sunday’s encounter, taking a tenth-minute lead through Maximilian Eggestein before Schalke equalised through Adrian Gantenbein in the 30th minute. The visitors subsequently improved considerably after halftime, and Freiburg’s task became even more complicated when Suzuki received his second yellow card in the 64th minute.

Schuster’s side nevertheless responded admirably. Substitute Vincenzo Grifo supplied the cross for fellow replacement Keisuke Goto to head home an 85th-minute winner, restoring Freiburg to the Bundesliga summit. Schuster’s men rarely looked as if they were down a man, a fact their head coach made certain to emphasize at the post-match press conference.

Schuster speaks on Yuito Suzuki’s sending off

“These are the kind of things that can happen against Schalke,” Schuster said of Suzuki’s sending off. “One loses control of one’s emotions. The focus on the next action isn’t there. And that wasn’t good. I made that very clear to Yuito and the team. But it all comes down to how one behaves when things don’t go one’s way.”

Suzuki’s first booking came in the 49th minute after he kicked the ball away following a foul by Philipp Lienhart. Fifteen minutes later, the 24-year-old stepped on Soufiane El-Faouzi’s foot, leaving referee Martin Petersen little choice but to issue a second yellow card. Schuster was nevertheless delighted with the manner in which Freiburg’s remaining players, particularly those introduced from the bench, rallied around their dismissed teammate.

“The team was there for Yuito today,” Schuster continued. “The lads who came on were there for Yuito. They managed to make it seem like we weren’t playing a man down, together with our fans who were incredible and there for us. And what Miron just said about how he had to react [tactically], that’s a big compliment to our team. They managed to pull it off.”

Freiburg’s preparation for playing with ten men pays dividends

Schuster’s comments also provided further context to the remarkable exchange between the two coaches during the press conference. As Get German Football News reported in a separate article, Schalke head coach Miron Muslic took full responsibility for tactical adjustments that he believed had contributed to his team’s defeat.

Muslic acknowledged that his decision to alter Schalke’s structure in pursuit of a winning goal had left his players vulnerable to counterattacks and given Freiburg renewed encouragement. Schuster spontaneously praised his counterpart’s willingness to accept responsibility, but also interpreted the admission as evidence that Freiburg had made life unexpectedly difficult for Schalke despite being reduced to ten men.

“That’s why I find his reaction even more impressive,” Schuster continued. “These are the challenging topics for us coaches, playing through the scenarios of being a man up or down. And it’s important that the lads know about this. It’s not fun for them during a Wednesday training session when I tell them they have to practice defending shorthanded.”

“But that’s what’s needed to be able to react in such situations,” Schuster concluded. “So, compliments to Schalke and compliments to you, Miron. And compliments to the team for finding a way to win this game shorthanded. That was a very important experience today. Thank you.”

Freiburg take valuable lessons into Conference League opener

The victory allowed Freiburg to maintain their unbeaten start to the Bundesliga campaign and reclaim first place after five matchdays. It also provided an important psychological boost ahead of Thursday evening’s UEFA Conference League opener against FK Jablonec.

Schuster’s side will face a demanding schedule as European football returns to the Europa-Park-Stadion, making their ability to respond to unexpected setbacks an increasingly valuable asset. For all the frustration surrounding Suzuki’s dismissal, Sunday provided an encouraging example of the team’s collective spirit and tactical discipline.

Schuster had criticised the initial loss of composure. He could hardly have asked for a better response from the players who remained on the pitch or the raucous Freiburg fans within the stadium who cheered their team back to the top of the Bundesliga table.

GGFN | Peter Weis