SC Freiburg is flying high in the German Bundesliga and in the European Cup – and Michael Gregoritsch is one of the protagonists. Not least thanks to five goals from the ÖFB team striker, brought in from Augsburg in the summer, the Breisgau team is leading their group in the UEFA Europa League. On Sunday (7.30 p.m.) Freiburg will be a guest in the league hit at TSG Hoffenheim with Christoph Baumgartner.
Gregoritsch fixed the 3-0 win at Greece’s record champions Olympiacos Piraeus on Thursday with his goals to make it 2-0 (25th) and 3-0 (52nd). The Styrian, who was nominated by UEFA as a candidate for player of the week in the Europa League, was happy about “a great situation” in Group G. A statement that also applies to the national championship, in which Gregoritsch has three goals. Not to be forgotten is Philipp Lienhart, who ensures stability in Freiburg’s central defence.
Coach Christian Streich doesn’t want to cause too much euphoria. “We have to make sure that we stay with ourselves. The team is doing something extraordinary right now, but expectations shouldn’t be allowed to skyrocket.” And the coach sees the away game at Hoffenheim as a “brutally difficult game. The team is extremely difficult to play on. Offensive with quality, has a good defense, has top players. If we survive in Hoffenheim, that would be a statement. If we succeed, then I say chapeau.”
Also Cologne with a very good start to the season
Like Freiburg, 1. FC Köln also got off to a very good start to the season, both nationally and internationally, with strong red-white-red contributions. Dejan Ljubicic shot the Cologne team in the Conference League with two goals to 3: 2 (65th / penalty) and 4: 2 (74th) to a 4: 2 win against 1. FC Slovacko and to the top of the table. Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart then attested the ex-Rapidler an “exquisite” development.
Florian Kainz, one of Cologne’s best players of the season so far, was not used this time. However, the winger is missing from the squad of ÖFB team boss Ralf Rangnick for the upcoming games in the Nations League – incomprehensible to Ljubicic. “I don’t understand that either. He was really outstanding with us.” Before the guest appearance of the seventh-placed Cologne team on Sunday (5.30 p.m.) at the pointless bottom VfL Bochum, Kainz has two goals and three assists.
