After two Sunday Bundesliga games, SC Freiburg are returning to the standard Saturday afternoon slot this weekend, with 5,000 fans travelling to Cologne on matchday 30.

With five games remaining in the Bundesliga, Christian Streich’s side are in fourth place and more and more questions are being asked about where the team is aiming to be at the end of the season. “It will be a difficult away game for us,” said Matthias Ginter ahead of the game against Köln, who are relatively safe in mid table. “After full time we’ll have a clearer idea of where our season is going.”

“We want to finish as high up the table as possible,” said Ginter’s teammate Yannik Keitel after the win over Schalke. Head coach Streich, however, feels that his team is remaining realistic. “The players can relax and get up for the right moments. They know what’s at stake. Saturday’s game has a huge importance for us.” A win would give SCF a big chance of qualification for international football next season.

Energy and passion

The thoughts about the end of the season are there, but the head coach doesn’t want to discuss them; he’s more enthusiastic about the fact that “the team are still incredibly hungry” to win games, even after 41 competitive fixtures this season. At least six still remain.

Streich says it will be important to “deal with Köln’s passion,” adding that Steffen Baumgart’s side are a team who lives off its mentality. “It will be loud and passionate on Saturday.”

The head coach wants his team to use this passion as motivation and deliver a good away performance that should end in three points. “Passion will be a foundation for a good performance in Cologne,” said Streich, who is expecting an attractive game. “But we need full energy. Köln are safe and can play free of worry,” added the head coach.

Maximilian Eggestein and Roland Sallai will be available again after serving their yellow cards suspensions, while Manuel Gulde could be in the squad after returning to team training. Ritsu Doan is a doubt for the game due to illness.