SC Freiburg begin the 2026/2027 season after one of the best spells in the club’s recent history. In the previous campaign, Julian Schuster’s side finished seventh in the Bundesliga and reached the Europa League final. As a result, Freiburg will play in European competition again, this time in the Conference League. There was no major overhaul of the squad over the summer, although the club had to find replacements for several players who played important roles last season.

Schuster continues his work

Julian Schuster remains Freiburg’s coach after a very successful second season in charge. The former team captain took over from Christian Streich and gradually built his own style while retaining the core qualities the club had become known for. Freiburg continues to rely on organisation, tactical discipline and player development.

There was no wholesale squad rebuild over the summer, but the team lost several players who had been important last season. The biggest loss is Johan Manzambi. The young midfielder was one of the revelations of the 2025/2026 campaign and, after a good season and appearances at the World Cup, moved to Aston Villa.

New goalkeeper after Atubolu’s departure

There has also been a change between the posts. Noah Atubolu opted for a new stage in his career and joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan after first extending his contract with Freiburg. Mio Backhaus, signed from Werder Bremen, has taken his place.

The 22-year-old goalkeeper has already completed a full season in the Bundesliga. He made 32 appearances for Werder in the 2025/2026 campaign and kept five clean sheets. Freiburg can therefore count on a player who knows the demands of German football and does not need time to adjust to the level of the competition.

Several intriguing additions

Freiburg have once again signed players with room to develop. Yannik Engelhardt, Rihito Yamamoto and Keisuke Goto are among those to have joined the squad. Suzuki arrived at Freiburg from Como, Goto previously played for Anderlecht, while Yamamoto has experience with Sint-Truiden.

The core of the team, however, remains unchanged. Matthias Ginter continues to lead the defence and is one of the key players in building attacks from the back. Maximilian Eggestein and Patrick Osterhage remain in midfield. In attack, the coach can still call on Vincenzo Grifo, Niklas Beste, Derry Scherhant, Lucas Höler, Cyriaque Irié and Igor Matanović.

Grifo and Ginter remain important

One question will be how Vincenzo Grifo is used. The 33-year-old Italian remains one of Freiburg’s most creative players, although he may be rotated more often given the increased number of fixtures. His experience and quality from set pieces could prove particularly useful in European matches.

In defence, Schuster has Ginter, Philipp Lienhart and Lukas Kübler at his disposal. Freiburg have therefore retained a group of experienced players around whom they can introduce younger talent without having to rebuild the entire back line.

Another season in Europe

The biggest challenge will be balancing the Bundesliga with the Conference League. Freiburg qualified for the league phase after winning their two-legged tie against Motherwell, and the additional fixtures will increase the players’ workload. The club does have a deep squad, however, and showed last season that it can compete on several fronts.

The 2026/2027 season will be another test of a model built on stability, developing young players and making well-judged signings. Manzambi has departed and there has been a change in goal, but Freiburg have quickly strengthened the squad. Schuster can still build the team around the experience of Ginter, Grifo and Lienhart while bringing new players into the fold.