Ginter Aims to Climb the Rankings Step by Step and Close the Points Gap

After a goalless draw in the Europa League against Viktoria Pilsen, SC Freiburg is preparing for a challenging Bundesliga home match against FSV Mainz 05. Defender Matthias Ginter anticipates a similar struggle in energy and patience as they faced in Pilsen, expecting many long balls and challenges.

Freiburg’s Preparation for Mainz

SC Freiburg returned late Thursday from their match in the Czech Republic, and after a brief rest, players were back on the training field. Coach Julian Schuster emphasized the team’s routine in handling such situations. “The boys know the drill,” he noted.

The coach mentioned that individual assessments would determine each player’s fitness leading up to the match on Sunday at 19:30 local time. “It took a toll on the players, and you could see that they invested a lot in the game. They had to cover significant ground, which naturally costs energy,” Schuster explained.

Injury Updates and Squad Rotation

Players who did not travel to Pilsen, including Jordy Makengo, Max Rosenfelder, and Eren Dinkci, may return; all were nursing minor muscular issues. Freiburg typically rotates its squad between competitions, a strategy mirrored by Mainz.

• Mainz recently suffered their first loss in the Conference League, falling 0-1 to Universitatea Craiova.
• In the Bundesliga, Mainz is facing difficulties, including injuries and suspensions affecting key players.

Despite these conditions, Schuster refrains from viewing Mainz’s situation as an advantage. “That has never helped us,” he asserted.

Learning from Recent Matches

Freiburg managed to secure a point in Pilsen, keeping hopes alive for advancing to the knockout stage of the Europa League. However, their Bundesliga performance leaves something to be desired, as they are not fully satisfied with their mid-table position.

Ginter expressed a desire to close the points gap that has formed over the past weeks. “We want to regain our footing step by step,” he stated.

The team learned valuable lessons from their 2-6 loss against FC Bayern. Ginter predicts that the match against Mainz will resemble their previous encounter with Pilsen, filled with “many long balls and duels.” He also emphasized the need for patience and making the right decisions near the goal.

Historic Context and Expectations

In their last home encounter with Mainz, which occurred a year ago, Freiburg failed to score. Six of the last eight matches between the two teams have ended in stalemate. The last time Freiburg faced Mainz in March 2021, they lost 0-1 in an empty stadium.

Schuster noted that patience will be crucial. “It will be another battle, especially against a team that also had to exert themselves recently,” he concluded. Freiburg will aim to bring their strong play and mental fortitude against a resilient Mainz side this Sunday.