Restrictions Dampen SC Freiburg’s Europa League Victory

SC Freiburg’s Europa League triumph last night was overshadowed by the severe restrictions imposed on the club’s traveling supporters during their trip to southern France. The Bundesliga team faced OGC Nice, which took precautionary measures due to previous incidents of unrest between its fans and those from 1. FC Köln during a Conference League match in autumn 2022.

In light of these concerns, the French club mandated that Freiburg supporters travel to the stadium via designated shuttle buses and collect their tickets at a specific location. Additional common restrictions seen in European football were also enforced. Fans were prohibited from wearing SC Freiburg merchandise on their way to the stadium, were escorted to the guest seating area well in advance, and were promptly led out after the match concluded.

The management of fan transportation to the stadium resulted in some SC Freiburg supporters being stranded on their shuttle buses for extended periods, with limited access to restroom facilities. Consequently, many fans opted to refrain from vocally supporting their team during the match. After the game, SC Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster commented on the situation during the post-match press conference.

“It does affect me to hear about something like this,” Schuster remarked. “We are fundamentally very grateful to have the opportunity to travel internationally. This means a great deal to us as a club and, of course, to the fans as well. These are not conditions anyone wishes to experience. Our thoughts are with the fans, and I sincerely hope they return home safely.”