'Huge anticipation' as history beckons for Freiburg in Europa League
Freiburg coach Julian Schuster gestures on the sidelines during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and 1. FC Union Berlin at Europa-Park Stadium. Silas Stein/dpa Freiburg are ready to be physical to reach the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday, for which they must overturn a 1-0 deficit against Belgian side Genk.
Freiburg have never before been among the last eight in a continental event, and coach Julian Schuster said on Wednesday that with history beckoning "you don't have to motivate anyone in an additional way. "These are games you don't get to play so often in your career," he said. Schuster said that anticipation is "huge" and he urged the players "to have the necessary physicality" in the match while also calling on the fans to give full support.
Freiburg are without a victory in four matches but Maximilian Eggestein returns from a red card suspension which will boost their defensive midfield. It could also help Freiburg's cause that last week's scorer Zakaria El Ouahdi for be missing for Gent due to suspension. "I am confident that we can overturn the deficit at home," midfielder Patrick Osterhage said.