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SC Freiburg supporters have made it abundantly clear that last season’s Europa League final defeat has done nothing to diminish their dreams of European glory. Ahead of Thursday evening’s 3-2 Conference League victory over FK Jablonec, the Freiburg FanKurve unveiled a spectacular choreography carrying the message “Der Traum vom Titel bleibt” (“The dream of a title lives on”). Both head coach Julian Schuster and club legend Vincenzo Grifo were subsequently asked about the display.
The message carried particular significance given that Freiburg’s historic run to last season’s Europa League final ended in a 3-0 defeat against Aston Villa in Istanbul. The 2027 Conference League final is scheduled to take place on June 2 at the very same venue, Beşiktaş Stadium. Another journey to Istanbul would therefore offer the Schwarzwaldverein an extraordinary opportunity to settle some unfinished business.
Julian Schuster pleased to see supporters dreaming
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Schuster welcomed the supporters’ enthusiasm but emphasized the importance of distinguishing between dreams and concrete sporting objectives. The 41-year-old also expressed his appreciation for the work involved in preparing the display.
“It’s a dream, not an objective,” Schuster explained. “I think there’s a big difference between that and me standing there saying: ‘Objective: the final. Here we come.’”
“What an incredible choreography. Thank you very much,” Schuster continued. “I only caught it in passing. I think the amount of time that went into preparing this choreography must have been immense.”
Schuster also stressed that the supporters were perfectly entitled to maintain such ambitious expectations.
“That whole message is completely fine. It’s perfectly fine for the fans to see things that way,” the Freiburg trainer said. “I haven’t met anyone who’s told me that I should think about the final every single day so that we can get there again. If there’s someone out there who can give me advice on that, I’m always open to it.”
Schuster nevertheless emphasized that his immediate priorities remained considerably more modest.
“For us, it was important to take the first step today with a home victory,” Schuster explained. “Even if we only look at our next international matches, there are exciting challenges waiting for us. That made it all the more important to collect the first three points today.”
Vincenzo Grifo equally moved by Freiburg display
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone, veteran attacker Vincenzo Grifo offered a particularly heartfelt response to the supporters’ choreography.
“It was wonderful,” Grifo said. “Just the way it looked was another goosebumps moment. It never gets old, no matter how old you are. I’ve experienced a lot, but something like that always brings joy.”
“It’s still a very long way off,” Grifo emphasized when asked whether the prospect of returning to Istanbul provided additional motivation. “I think if we progress and have a good campaign here, then of course we’ll believe.”
For now, the Freiburg faithful can celebrate another successful European evening and the first three points of their Conference League campaign. Whether another remarkable continental journey awaits remains to be seen.
One thing, however, is already certain: the dream of a European title remains very much alive in the Breisgau.
