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New head coach at SC Freiburg from next season: Julian Schuster

Photo: Patrick Seeger / dpa

It had already been announced, now it is official: Julian Schuster, former professional at SC Freiburg, will take over the coaching position from Christian Streich next season. Streich is considered a club legend and was previously head coach at Breisgauer for twelve years. Schuster is currently working as a liaison trainer between professionals and youth at the sports club and knows the club very well.

In Streich's early days, the long-time Freiburg professional was an extended arm on the field as captain and acted as an important contact person until the end of his career in 2018. As a result, he switched to coaching and got his UEFA Pro license. The former midfielder has not yet coached a professional team as head coach. In ten years, Schuster played 242 competitive games for Freiburg and scored 21 goals.

Schuster once played together with important pillars of the Freiburg team such as captain Christian Günter and veteran Nicolas Höfler. Former striker Nils Petersen had already praised Schuster highly during the week. "Even as a player, Julian Schuster was the longest extended arm of a coach that I have ever seen," said the 35-year-old to the German Press Agency.

Streich: Youth coach for 17 years, head coach with the professionals since 2012

Streich announced on Monday that he would not be extending his contract with the sports club for another season. The 58-year-old took over the coaching position with the professionals in January 2012; he had previously been a youth coach at the sports club for 17 years. Most recently, Streich reached the round of 16 of the Europa League twice with Freiburg and made it to the cup final in 2022.

At the end of the current season, he will step down as the second-longest-serving coach among the current Bundesliga coaches, with a term of almost twelve and a half years without interruption at a club. Only Frank Schmidt from 1. FC Heidenheim has been with his club longer, but is only playing his debut season in the Bundesliga with FCH.

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