CLUB SNAPSHOT: At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Club | SC Freiburg |
| League | Bundesliga |
| Manager | Julian Schuster |
| Stadium | Europa-Park Stadion |
| Nickname | Breisgau-Brasilianer |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Defensive Leader | Matthias Ginter |
| Key Departure | Karl Steinmann (loan to Hannover 96) |
| Returning Loanee | Berkay Yılmaz (from Nürnberg) |
| Defining Trait | A defence built on continuity and experience, anchored by two German internationals |
The Defining Moment
Freiburg’s defensive department entered the 2026/27 season with a continuity that few other areas of the squad could match. Matthias Ginter and Philipp Lienhart, the two centre-backs who had formed the backbone of the club’s rise to European contention, remained. Christian Günter, the long-serving captain and left-back, remained. Lukas Kübler, the veteran right-back, remained. The only significant departure was Karl Steinmann, a young defender loaned to Hannover 96 in search of regular minutes.
The defining decision of the summer was not a signing but a return. Berkay Yılmaz, the 21-year-old left-sided defender, came back from his loan at Nürnberg and was integrated into the first-team squad. He was not a marquee arrival. He was a profile: a young, versatile defender capable of operating at left-back or in central defence, whose development would be monitored within a structure that already possessed established options.
The defining tension of Freiburg’s defensive season is therefore one of transition disguised as stability. Ginter and Lienhart are in their thirties—32 and 30 respectively. Günter is 33, Kübler is 34. The core that has served Freiburg so well is aging, and the younger generation—Yılmaz, Max Rosenfelder, Ifechukwu Ogbus, Mateo Zelić—is being integrated gradually rather than thrust into responsibility. Whether that gradual transition can sustain Freiburg’s defensive standards is the question that defines the department’s season.
This is the story of Freiburg’s 2026/27 defenders: two German internationals holding the line, a captain in the twilight of his career, and a supporting cast of young talents waiting for their opportunity.
Tactical Context
Schuster’s Freiburg is built on a 4-2-3-1 that prioritises defensive compactness and controlled build-up. The back four is expected to defend narrow, compress space in midfield, and distribute accurately to the double pivot ahead of them. It is a system that demands intelligence and positioning over raw athleticism, and Freiburg’s defenders have been selected accordingly.
The early-season numbers reveal a defence that has been largely reliable. Freiburg conceded 20 goals in their first 15 competitive matches across all competitions, a rate of 1.33 per game that placed them among the Bundesliga’s more resilient sides. The 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich and the 2-1 loss at Leverkusen exposed the gap between Freiburg’s structure and the elite, but the defensive organisation that Schuster demands has been evident in the clean sheets against Union Berlin and the narrow victories over Schalke and Werder Bremen.
The tactical question Schuster has navigated is how to manage the workload across three competitions with a defensive core that is aging. Ginter and Lienhart have started the majority of matches, but the rotation has been minimal. The younger defenders—Rosenfelder, Ogbus, Zelić—have been used sparingly, their development carefully managed behind the established hierarchy.
The Defenders
Matthias Ginter
Ginter is the defensive leader and the most experienced figure in Freiburg’s back line. The 32-year-old German international, a World Cup winner in 2014, has been at the club since 2022 after spells at Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach. His reading of the game, his positioning, and his composure on the ball make him the anchor of Schuster’s structure.
His profile is that of a modern, ball-playing centre-back. Ginter is not the most physically imposing defender, and he can be exposed by forwards with elite pace, but his intelligence and his distribution from the back are essential to a team that builds carefully from defence. At 32, his best years are behind him, but his experience is irreplaceable within a defensive unit that lacks proven depth.
Philipp Lienhart
Lienhart is Ginter’s partner in central defence, a 30-year-old Austrian international who has been at Freiburg since 2017 after arriving from Real Madrid’s academy. His nine Bundesliga starts by early November reflected his status as an undisputed starter, and his physical presence and aerial dominance complement Ginter’s more technical interpretation of the role.
His profile is that of a traditional, combative centre-back. Lienhart is strong in the tackle, dominant in the air, and positionally disciplined. His partnership with Ginter is one of the most established in the Bundesliga, and their understanding of each other’s games allows Freiburg to defend with a cohesion that individual quality alone cannot explain.
Christian Günter
Günter is the captain and the longest-serving player in the squad, a 33-year-old left-back who has been at Freiburg since his youth career. His energy and delivery from wide areas have been a feature of the club’s play for a decade, and his leadership within the dressing room is invaluable.
His profile is that of an attacking full-back who has adapted his game as he has aged. Günter is no longer the relentless overlapping presence he once was, but his positioning and his crossing remain reliable, and his experience offers guidance for the younger defenders around him.
Lukas Kübler
Kübler is the veteran right-back, a 34-year-old who has been at Freiburg since 2015. His role has diminished in recent seasons, but his professionalism and his ability to fill in across the back line make him a valuable squad member.
His profile is that of a reliable, defensively solid full-back. Kübler is not the most attack-minded option, but his positioning and his reading of the game compensate for any decline in physical output.
Philipp Treu
Treu is the 25-year-old right-back who provides competition for Kübler. His profile is that of a modern, energetic full-back, comfortable advancing into midfield and combining with the wide players ahead of him. His minutes have been limited by the established hierarchy, but his presence ensures that Schuster has options.
Anthony Jung
Jung is the 35-year-old left-sided defender who provides cover for Günter. His experience of the Bundesliga, accumulated over more than a decade, makes him a reliable squad option when injuries or suspensions disrupt the preferred XI.
Jordy Makengo
Makengo is the 25-year-old left-back who has been at Freiburg since his youth career. His opportunities have been limited, but his athletic profile and potential offer Schuster an alternative on the flank.
Berkay Yılmaz
Yılmaz is the returning loanee, a 21-year-old who can operate as a left-back or in central defence. His loan at Nürnberg provided regular minutes, and his integration into the first-team squad reflects the club’s belief in his potential. At 21, he represents the future of Freiburg’s defence.
Max Rosenfelder, Ifechukwu Ogbus, and Mateo Zelić
Rosenfelder, a 23-year-old centre-back, Ogbus, a 20-year-old centre-back, and Zelić, a 19-year-old defender, are the young talents integrated into the first-team squad. Their opportunities have been limited, but their presence reflects Freiburg’s commitment to developing internal solutions for the future.
The Numbers Game
TABLE A: Freiburg Defender Bundesliga Statistics (2026/27)
| Player | Role | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Matthias Ginter | Centre-Back | Defensive leader, experienced |
| Philipp Lienhart | Centre-Back | Nine starts by early November |
| Christian Günter | Left-Back | Captain, long-serving |
| Lukas Kübler | Right-Back | Veteran squad option |
| Berkay Yılmaz | Left-Back/Centre-Back | Returning loanee, developing |
TABLE B: Freiburg Defensive Unit – Key Metrics (2026/27)
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Conceded per Match | 1.33 | Across 15 competitive matches |
| Clean Sheets | 2 | Union Berlin, Werder Bremen |
| Defeat to Bayern | 1-3 | Exposed gap to elite |
| Defeat to Leverkusen | 1-2 | Narrow loss at title contenders |
TABLE C: Defender Career Context & Pedigree
| Player | Nationality | Previous Clubs | Style Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthias Ginter | Germany | Dortmund, Gladbach | Ball-playing, intelligent, experienced |
| Philipp Lienhart | Austria | Real Madrid Academy | Combative, aerial, positionally sound |
| Christian Günter | Germany | Freiburg Academy | Attacking full-back, captain, leader |
| Lukas Kübler | Germany | Freiburg | Reliable, defensively solid |
| Berkay Yılmaz | Germany/Turkey | Nürnberg (loan) | Versatile, developing |
Tactical Identity & Squad Balance
Freiburg’s defensive unit reflects the club’s broader approach under Schuster and sporting director Jochen Saier: continuity over upheaval, faith in experienced professionals supplemented by academy graduates, and a willingness to accept a gradual transition rather than a radical rebuild. The decision to retain Ginter, Lienhart, Günter, and Kübler—all in their thirties—was a calculated gamble on stability over rejuvenation.
The early-season evidence suggests the gamble has been largely justified. Freiburg’s defensive record is among the Bundesliga’s better sides, and the partnership between Ginter and Lienhart remains one of the most reliable in the division. The clean sheets against Union Berlin and Werder Bremen demonstrated that the structure can work when the midfield protects the back four and the opposition lacks elite attacking quality.
The vulnerability identified by analysts is the lack of proven depth in central defence. Behind Ginter and Lienhart, the options are limited. Rosenfelder, Ogbus, and Zelić are untested at Bundesliga level, and Yılmaz’s development is ongoing. If either starting centre-back suffers a significant injury, Freiburg’s defensive stability diminishes considerably.
The Verdict from the Camp
OneFootball, on the summer’s changes:
“Losing Manzambi and switching to Backhaus are significant, yet the newcomers have settled and the core endures.”
Where Next?
Freiburg’s defensive priority is clear: they need Ginter and Lienhart to stay fit, and they need the younger defenders to develop quickly enough to provide genuine competition and cover. The core that has served the club so well is aging, and the transition to the next generation cannot be postponed indefinitely.
The development of Yılmaz and Rosenfelder is the most intriguing subplot. If either can establish himself as a reliable option in central defence, Freiburg possess a long-term successor to Ginter and Lienhart. If neither can, the reliance on two defenders in their thirties becomes even more precarious.
The January window is unlikely to bring defensive reinforcements unless injuries force the club’s hand. Freiburg’s financial constraints and the existing depth in the department suggest that faith will be placed in the current group. The question is whether that group is good enough to sustain Freiburg’s push for European qualification, or whether the aging core will prove to be the weak link in a season with continental commitments.
