Freiburg Overcomes Past Trauma in DFB Pokal Quarterfinal Victory

omidbasir- Many of the professionals associated with SC Freiburg were not part of the 2022 DFB Pokal Final shootout at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. However, last night’s cup quarterfinal match against Hertha Berlin, which also concluded with a penalty shootout, evoked a sense of déjà vu. Just as in that pivotal match on May 21, 2022, Freiburg and their Olympiastadion opponents completed 120 minutes with a score locked at 1-1.

Freiburg’s head coach Julian Schuster was not on the sidelines during the final against RB Leipzig, and last night’s victorious goalkeeper Florian Müller was formerly with Stuttgart and not part of Freiburg at that time. Despite this, both Schuster and Müller were invested in the outcome of the penalty shootout as Freiburg pursued glory. Schuster had served as an SCF youth coach in 2022, while Müller had spent previous seasons on loan with Freiburg.

The only individual present on the pitch during that final was Freiburg’s record-holding captain, Christian Günter. For Günter, the shootout had been a devastating experience; he, along with current Stuttgart striker Ermedin Demirovic, failed to convert their penalties that night. Understandably, Günter was hesitant to take a prominent role in last night’s shootout.

“There are memories of this stadium that are not pleasant,” Günter stated to Sky Germany following his teammates’ triumph. “I wasn’t eager to be among the first five today. I wasn’t feeling 100 percent confident. When my turn came, I had to be focused and prepared; that’s all one can do.”

Florian Müller, now in a backup role behind 23-year-old Noah Atubolu, has yet to make a Bundesliga appearance this season. Nevertheless, Schuster chose to rely on Müller as his designated ‘Pokal keeper.’ Atubolu had previously manned the goal during Freiburg’s opening round victory against Sportfreunde Lotte. Since then, Müller has played a crucial role in guiding the team past Düsseldorf, Darmstadt, and now Hertha Berlin.

“He put in a great performance in the game and saved us in the shootout,” Günter remarked to Sky. “He fully deserved this moment after the hard work he puts in during training, and I’m very happy for him.”

“It’s not easy for him as he’s not in rhythm,” Schuster noted at the post-match press conference. “Fortunately, he stays sharp during training, which enables him to deliver performances like that.”

“There’s a strong sense of unity within the team and the goalkeeping squad,” Schuster continued. “Atu’s development can be attributed to Flo, and Flo’s excellent performance is a result of Atu’s hard work.”

“I look forward to every game,” Müller expressed in the mixed zone. “These are the moments one trains for when not playing regularly. I’m proud to have showcased my abilities.”

“Having overcome the trauma of the cup final and the penalty shootout, we are ready to return to Berlin for the Final on May 23rd. A home game in the semifinals would be a nice first step,” Müller concluded.