Manuel Riemann was still in doubt during the week against SC Freiburg When he was called upon, however, the Bochum goalkeeper showed himself from his very best side. He was not the only one to receive compliments from the opposing coach.
It’s not often that a coach makes a quasi unasked-for comment about an opposing player. But on Saturday in Bochum it happened: After his 300th Bundesliga game as Freiburg coach, Christian Streich felt the time had come to pay the VfL goalkeeper a big compliment.
This was understandable, as Freiburg’s attacking efforts failed time and again due to the superb reaction of the Bochum keeper. He was already on his toes in the opening phase, and then had an outstanding moment in the 62nd minute, for example, when he saved from Lucas Höler, who came free in front of him, as well as in the turbulent final phase.
Until Wednesday, Manuel Riemann had only been able to train individually, as his appearance against Freiburg had been in doubt due to muscular problems in his thigh. But his saves made the Freiburg players despair, and when he seemed to be beaten in the final seconds, he somehow managed to get his fingers on the ball.
We were beaten by a sensational goalkeeper.
Vincenzo Grifo’s cross, Nico Schlotterbeck’s header, but Riemann somehow manages to get between them and deflect the ball onto the post – the save. “We failed,” Streich summed up the action, “because of a sensational goalkeeper. “
Streich finds words of praise for the promoted side
As if that wasn’t enough, in his frustration at the fairly undeserved defeat, the Freiburg coach also continued to find reason to compliment their victorious opponents. “Bochum have already collected 16 points, which is outstanding at this stage,” Streich enumerated. “I am convinced that they will stay in.”
And Streich made no secret of his sympathies for VfL. Overall, the longest-serving Bundesliga coach had plenty of compliments for the promoted side in his post-match review of the defeat at Castroper Straße. “It’s great to play here,” found the Freiburg coach, “this is a great club. This is football for me. “
As the icing on the cake, so to speak, there was even a premiere for the brave promoted team in their third Bundesliga home win in a row. For the first time since their return to the Bundesliga, VfL turned around a deficit and left the pitch as winners for the fifth time this season.
