Bundesliga Europa League representatives SC Freiburg managed to radically reverse their recent fortunes with a massive 5-1 win over KRC Genk in the second leg of their 2025/26 UEL Round-of-16 fixture on Thursday night. Just about literally everything went right for Julian Schuster's Breisgauer .
Vincenzo Grifo 's vital 3-1 enabled the 32-year-old veteran to break the club's all-time scoring record. Defender Matthias Ginter played so well that reporters were asked him about the German national team again. It certainly proved a night to remember at the Europa Park Stadion.
Afterwards, Mainz weren't the only Bundesliga European representatives crediting their fans with helping them advance deep into a competition. Grifo – having taken his turn with the club supporters in the Kurve following the full time whistle – gushed over the SCF ultras.
" I just can't find the right words, " Schuster noted in his pitch side post match interview with RTL+. " Football just moves so fast. I just want to enjoy this moment For me, I've learned so much this year [Schuster's second on the job]. I've just learned so much and learned how much this means given the challenges one faces.
" It's a privilege to be a head coach and I have to thank my family, " Schuster continued. " At home, my wife has to put up with everything and allow me the chance to participate in such wonderful moments like this; ones that I absolutely live for.
" I don't know, was I really playing that badly before? " Ginter jokingly asked after a second consecutive European performance worthy of the MOTM award whilst answering questions about the national team in the mixed zone. " I spoke with him [Julian Nagelsmann] on Tuesday and I was a little disappointed not to be nominated. I got my eight and ninth scorer points tonight.
" Yes, he called, " the 52-times-capped German international answered when asked to confirm that Nagelsmann phoned him personally. " It wasn't that great. At least he told me that nothing had been completely settled yet. One shouldn't say that it's an unfair decision. It was just a sporting decision. Football is a daily grind. One gets a new chance every few days.
" I don't understand it all, " Ginter concluded. " I don't think it's rocket science necessarily, but the only thing I can influence is my play on the pitch. "
" The fans were wonderful, " Grifo noted in his RTL+interview. " I think they were working deep into the night yesterday evening preparing the choreography. Ultimately, they also play a significant role in creating that kind of energy here in the stadium. That naturally gives you a boost.
" At halftime, we said to ourselves: 'Hey, we've turned the game around. It's 0–0 [on aggregate] that was our goal', " Grifo continued. " Maybe not everyone thought we could do it. We did.
" Of course, one works hard one's entire career to reach such milestones, " Grifo said of his record. " It makes this evening all the more special. There's great euphoria moving forward. "
