Petersen’s perfect evening: “I thought there would be another contract offer”

Nils Petersen said goodbye in front of his home crowd with a goal.

IMAGO/Beautiful Sports

It was a classic Petersen: coming off the bench, the goal-getter was in the six-yard box in the 75th minute of the game against VfL Wolfsburg, speculated correctly and pressed a cross from Roland Sallais, which Lucas Höler had missed, to make it 2-0 across the line. It then became emotional during the celebration and of course after the final whistle, which is why the attacker had to admit to DAZN that he had “a little lump in his throat”.

VAR collects doubts about the end of his career

After eight and a half years in Breisgau, during which he accompanied the sports club from the second division to the European Cup, an understandable feeling. But “sometimes you should stop when it’s at its best,” said the 34-year-old, whose evening even looked a little better than it already was. Because only five minutes after his first goal he had presented a second classic Petersen and hit a double pack with his head, which according to the VAR review did not last.

“I was sure who counts,” the former Bremen and Munich player couldn’t quite understand the decision of the team, and jokingly hinted that he had briefly doubted the possible double pack at the end of his career: “After the second goal, I thought, now another contract offer comes in.” But he probably wouldn’t have assumed this anyway, his decision is well considered and final.

Günter clarifies the Joker successor

Christian Streich’s decision to leave Christian Günter on the bench for the first time in over six years also turned out to be well considered – at least for the time being. Substituted in the 70th minute, the captain made it 1-0 after a good 40 seconds and was therefore compared to Petersen, the best joker in Bundesliga history.

“Maybe I’ve learned something from him over the years,” smiled the left-back at his successful – albeit unfamiliar – role. The way he accepted it and how well the numerous new players in the starting XI got involved underlined one thing in particular for Günter: “It shows how well we stand together as a team and that we are right up there.”

“Up there” was also Petersen after the final whistle. Together with the team, he entered the grandstand and let himself be celebrated. “He deserved it so much, after all the years in which he put his heart and soul into it for us,” Günter said happily for the long-time colleague, who was “an outstanding person and an outstanding personality”. In view of this, his own goal “don’t give a damn”.

Farewell to the royal class?

Words that make it clear how important Petersen im Breisgau has become. Equally popular with fans and fellow players, his farewell could be crowned by entering the Champions League. Like fourth-placed Union, who could catch up at the weekend, Freiburg have 59 points.

Mathematically, the premier class for the SCF is feasible until the last day of the game. At Eintracht Frankfurt, the sports club could add the next great chapter to an incredible success story next Saturday (3.30 p.m., LIVE! at kicker). Maybe even by a very last Petersen hit. In any case, Günter firmly believes that his colleague still has it in the tank: “Definitely. You have to try.”