Because Hamburger SV said goodbye in the soccer semifinals, there will be a new DFB Cup champion. The only second-rate Hanseatic League, who had won this competition in 1963, 1976 and 1987, lost to SC Freiburg 1:3 (0:3). For the Breisgauer, founded in 1904, who will meet the winner of the duel between RB Leipzig and Union Berlin (still in progress when this edition goes to press), it is the first final appearance in the club’s history.
“It’s unbelievable, unbelievable. It’s worth being a professional footballer for that,” said striker Nils Petersen, who put SC Freiburg on the road to victory early on (11′). After 35 minutes, given a 3-0 lead, there was no longer any doubt about the outcome. The upper house club presented itself as too hard-nosed, and as fifth in the league they can even calculate a chance for the Champions League.
Much to the delight of ÖFB team defender Philipp Lienhart, who has reached the fourth major final in his young career. On May 21, the big showdown will take place in the Berlin Olympic Stadium. On paper, the 25-year-old from Lilienfeld is a two-time Champions League winner (2016, 2017) and UEFA Super Cup winner (2016), but the national player never got a chance at Real Madrid.
In Freiburg, on the other hand, he is an indispensable part of the center of defense and under the successful coach Christian Streich is a rock in the surf. Lienhart (contract until summer 2024) has been wearing the jersey of the Red and Whites since July 2017, the market value has climbed from three to 17 million euros in the past five years.
The Lower Austrian was a real bargain for SC Freiburg. The Bundesliga club only had to transfer two million to Real Madrid. Lienhart has never regretted this move, and he shrugs his shoulders at the interest of other clubs. “I think to myself: Why change something that works well? I want to play in the European Cup – ideally with Freiburg.” Well, that wish will come true.
Source: Nachrichten
