Eyeing the Champions League: Fritz Keller on Freiburg's Potential Breakthrough
Everyone Involved: No Secrets Hidden - Keller wagers on Freiburg's victory in the Champions League.
Get ready to play the biggest game of your life, Freiburg!
That's what former DFB president, Fritz Keller, is hinting at, as he believes SC Freiburg could make their first-ever appearance in the coveted Champions League!
"If you're in fourth place and have only three games left, anything is possible, even the Champions League," Keller shared with the German Press Agency. But, he warned, "It could also happen that you end up eighth or ninth and don't qualify for a European competition."
This scintillating possibility is not merely a pipe dream. With a two-point lead over RB Leipzig in fifth place, Freiburg is exactly where they need to be to seize the opportunity. But, it's not going to be a walk in the park.
The road ahead is tough, and the almost-dethroned champions of Bayer Leverkusen are next on Freiburg's list, due on Sunday (5:15 PM/DAZN). Following this, SC takes the field at Holstein Kiel and hosts third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt on the last matchday.
Fritz Keller, the winemaker and restaurateur who helmed the Breisgauer from 2010 to September 2019 as chairman and president, acknowledges the challenges ahead for Julian Schuster's team but encourages them to "keep their feet on the ground."
Despite scoring the fewest goals in the top half, having a negative goal difference, and winning ten games by just one goal, Freiburg has defied odds and is performing remarkably well in its first year after Christian Streich's departure. The club's resilience and patience have played a significant role in this success.
For Keller, it would be "a huge deal" if Freiburg were to play internationally again after a year's hiatus, at least in the Europa League or the Conference League. So, Freiburg, brace yourselves, it's time to shine and conquer the Champions League!
- Fritz Keller
- Freiburg
- DFB
- SC Freiburg
- Bundesliga
- Champions League
- German Press Agency
- Luck
Insights:
- Freiburg is on the brink of securing their first-ever UEFA Champions League qualification, currently holding 4th place in the Bundesliga with a 2-point lead over 5th-place RB Leipzig, and three games remaining.
- The team's recent form, winning three consecutive matches, and Opta projections give them a 50.72% chance of qualifying for the Champions League.
- Key competitors, Leipzig, Mainz, and Werder Bremen, remain in the race, but Freiburg's control over their fate through the remaining fixtures strengthens their case.
- A top-four Bundesliga finish will grant automatic qualification to the 2025-26 Champions League group stage, according to UEFA's updated format. This provides Freiburg with its best-ever opportunity to enter the competition.
- Fritz Keller, the former DFB president and past chairman of SC Freiburg, is hopeful that the team could make their debut in the Champions League, marking their first-ever international competition appearance in over a year.
- If SC Freiburg mathematically secures fourth place in the Bundesliga, they will have a chance to qualify for the prestigious Champions League, as suggested by Fritz Keller.
- Freiburg's journey to potentially qualify for the Champions League is not an easy one, with tough matches against Bayer Leverkusen, Holstein Kiel, and Eintracht Frankfurt on their schedule.
- Fritz Keller, a well-known winemaker and restaurateur, encourages Julian Schuster's team to maintain focus and remain grounded as they chase Champions League qualification.
- The possibility of Freiburg competing in the Champions League is not merely a fantasy; their current position in the Bundesliga table establishes them as serious contenders for a top-four finish and a spot in Europe's premier club competition.
