Maxilian Eggestein was relegated with Werder Bremen last season. Now the midfielder plays for SC Freiburg. In an interview with kicker (Thursday edition), Eggestein explains his move after ten years with the North Germans.
Lately, against FC Augsburg, things were going well: the first goal in the SC Freiburg shirt, the kicker rating of 2.5 and a commanding 3:0 victory. “I’m certainly not at 100 per cent yet,” says Maximilian Eggestein, but believes: “I’ve arrived well.” The 24-year-old was Sport-Club’s only external purchase last transfer summer, arriving in Breisgau following the surprise departure of ten-million-euro record-breaker Baptiste Santamaria to Stade Rennes.
For many observers, this was a logical move – both for Freiburg and for Eggestein. The midfielder previously played for Werder Bremen for ten years and experienced the Hanseatic League’s relegation season first-hand. “There was nothing that surprised me,” Eggestein says about his new club. “I prepared myself pretty well, talked to a lot of people in advance, got good insights from the coaching team. “
Toprak and Bruns have advised the switch
Ex-Freiburg man Ömer Toprak, now captain at Bremen, and SC co-coach Florian Bruns, who previously worked at Werder, had also advised him to make the switch. “Going here was a well-considered decision,” says Eggestein and emphasises: “A night-and-day change would not have suited me.”
With six games without defeat in the Bundesliga, the Breisgau side recently got off to a record start, with coach Christian Streich’s team greeting them from fifth place in the table. “Six games without a defeat boosts self-confidence, that’s for sure. But there were also games in which things didn’t go so well. We have to be aware that there are still fluctuations,” demands Eggestein and knows the expectations in South Baden: “First of all, the 40 points should be reached, then we’ll see.”
In the kicker interview with Maximilian Eggestein (Thursday edition or in the eMagazine), you can also read what role Christian Streich played in his transfer, which position he feels most comfortable in and how he assesses the competitive situation in midfield.
