Höfler on the new stadium: “We’re already a bit in love “
First win at the second attempt: While Christian Streich is still claiming that he needs time to get used to the new stadium, the players around Nicolas Höfler have already arrived. If it’s up to the six-man, Freiburg fans can look forward to more days of joy in the near future.
Due to the 2G rule, the hut was full for the first time, so at least the area for the home fans was reported as sold out on Saturday. Thanks to a 3:1 victory over bottom side Fürthwhich was unnecessarily put on the line in a weak phase after the break, but was ultimately clearly deserved, SC Freiburg continue to surf the wave of success as the only unbeaten team in Germany’s three professional leagues. And with their first win since the 1-1 draw against Leipzig a fortnight ago, they have now also inaugurated the new Europa Park Stadium.
The atmosphere in the new building, filled with 31,500 people, was magnificent in keeping with the overall situation. “It’s mega. We’ve got an awesome bowl here, there’s a real atmosphere,” Höfler agrees, revealing, “We’re all a bit in love already.” By “everyone”, the midfield strategist probably means the team in particular, confirming his coach’s thesis.
“The team is not foreign, these are young people, they are different to me,” said Christian Streich after the third appearance in his new home at the other end of town, including the opening test match against St. Pauli. “I need months and years, always in the process. I was over there for 25 years. In a way, that’s half my life,” the 56-year-old mused about his formative time in the iconic Dreisamstadion, but still let openness to the newness come through: “I’m not a stranger here either, but everything is new here, it’s not as familiar to me as the other – but I found it nice. “
Höfler wants to “look in two or three months “
The win will have had a major impact on that verdict. SC have already bagged six this season, in addition to four draws. Where can this internal record start of the current third in the table still lead? “We have an extremely good cohesion in the team, a lot of class, also across the board,” says Höfler, whose high spirits can also be explained by his first goal of the season, very confidently: “If we continue as we have done so far, bring that onto the pitch, with this conviction and commitment, we will collect many more points in the next games. Then we’ll see in two or three months where we stand and where we’re going. “
By then, the SC players will have become even more accustomed to their new stadium, which they will presumably move into as their daily training ground in the course of November. Further victories would certainly accelerate this process.