SC Freiburg experienced a resurgence last season, finishing in the top half of the Bundesliga table for the first time since the 2016/17 campaign. The club just missed out on European football by finishing one point behind seventh-placed Wolfsburg. Freiburg will now look to make it consecutive seasons of finishing in the top half of the table in the 2020/21 season.
Entering the coming campaign Freiburg will have new faces on their squad. They have made key signings in the midfield and attack. These acquisitions will help alleviate the loss of Luca Waldschmidt who left to join Benfica.
Defensively, they lost one of the anchors of the backline. Robin Koch joined Leeds United ahead of their first season back in the Premier League after a long hiatus. The club will have to turn their current group of defenders to ensure they do not see an increase in goals conceded.
With Freiburg looking to improve upon their eighth-placed finish from the 2019/20 season, here are three key players for them in the upcoming 2020/21 season.
Three Key Players for SC Freiburg This Season
Philipp Lienhart
The Austrian centre-back has emerged as one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga. Lienhart was a key piece of Freiburg’s backline last season and will be the anchor this season. With the departure of Koch, the club will have to turn to Lienhart as one of the up and coming leaders defensively.
Freiburg’s defence was one of the better units in the Bundesliga last season, only conceding 47 goals in 34 matches. It remains to be seen what will happen this season without Koch playing right in front of Lienhart at the defensive midfielder role, or right next to him as a centre-back. If Lienhart is able to further improve on his performances from the previous campaign, then Freiburg should still be able to be very good defensively.
Nils Petersen
Despite the departure of Waldschmidt, Freiburg have kept their leading goal scorer from last season. Nils Petersen will be the key offensive player for the club entering this campaign. The veteran forward has produced four consecutive seasons of 10 goals or more in the German top-flight.
Good results typically come Freiburg’s way when Petersen finds the back of the net. Freiburg earned at least a point in every match Petersen scored in last season. They never lost a match when the 31-year-old German forward scored.
Guus Til
Til joins Freiburg on loan from Russian club Spartak Moscow. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder struggled to find consistent appearances for Spartak and will be joining Freiburg in search of playing time.
The Dutch player had a breakout season for AZ Alkmaar during the 2018/19 Eredivisie season when he scored 12 goals in 33 appearances. He was unable to replicate his form for Spartak, but there’s reason to believe he can get back to being an effective player for Freiburg.
At 22, Til still has room for growth as a player and will be looking to get back to regular first-team football. Freiburg should present him with the opportunities he needs to be a productive offensive signing. The high tempo the Bundesliga is often played at will be a good fit for the Dutch attacking midfielder’s abilities.
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