Freiburg’s European bid breathes life into Bundesliga

DUSSELDORF: The teams worth watching in the Bundesliga right now aren’t those at the top of the table.

Bayern Munich cruised to their 10th straight title last week, leading even former Bayern greats to grumble about the lack of drama, but the German league has one of the fiercest fights in European Soccer just a litle further down the standings.

With three games to go, six points separate thirdplace Bayer Leverkusen from Cologne in seventh as teams fight for places in European competitions.

Freiburg in particular has become a favorite for fans across the country who admire their old-school, organic approach to achieving success. In fith and able to qualify for the Champions League or miss out on Europe altogether - and with a German Cup final coming up - the club from a midsize city in the Black Forest are widely seen as doing things the right way.

In charge for more than 10 years, Freiburg coach Christian Streich has built a successful and sustainable team despite regularly losing his best players to beter-funded clubs elsewhere in Germany or across Europe. The result is a close-knit, well-organized squad without big names or big egos. Freiburg’s stars tend to be fringe players for their national teams like Italy winger Vincenzo Grifo and Germany defenders Nico Schloterbeck and Christian Günter.

Streich likes his team to play a direct, counteratacking style and to try long balls forward. But it’s not that slightly unfashionable style which has made him beloved by German fans. It’s because Streich isn’t afraid to stray off message in a Soccer world where coaches oten seem constrained by club policy and PR concerns.

He talks politics with his players, has called on Germans to vote against far-right parties, and has voiced concern over Soccer’s close sponsorship ties to the gambling industry.