Freiburg (dpa / lsw) – Three professionals from SC Freiburg are about to travel into the past. Although Lucas Höler didn’t play for SV Werder Bremen, he was in the stands as a fan. Freiburg’s record goalscorer Nils Petersen played for SVW for two years before moving to Breisgau, but Maximilian Eggestein spent the longest time at the Weser. He was in action for Bremen for ten years, on Sunday (3.30 p.m. / DAZN) he will return there with the Sport-Club for the first time in a competitive game.
“I probably won’t be more nervous, but you’ll notice that it’s special, also because a lot of friends and family will be there,” believes the 26-year-old. “But when the whistle kicks off, it will be a Bundesliga game like any other.”
After Bremen were relegated, Eggestein moved to Freiburg in the summer of 2021. In September 2022 he was back in the Weser Stadium for the first time – at the farewell game of club icon Claudio Pizarro. “It was good that I’ve already ticked that off, but this time it’s about something, of course,” emphasizes Eggestein.
After his first very successful season with the Sport-Club, including the DFB Cup final and qualifying for the Europa League, he would like to repeat this success this spring. “We know that we have three very important games coming up,” said the midfielder ahead of the league games in Bremen, against Schalke and in Cologne. “Before the defeat against Bayern we dropped a few points twice and now we want to get them back.”
Eggestein was a regular at the Sport-Club from the start, has been the central axis with Nicolas Höfler ever since, and is “very happy” in Freiburg. He has only missed one Bundesliga game this season due to a broken hand. Ironically, he had his shortest appearance in the 2-0 first-leg win against Bremen and was only substituted on in added time. Now he wishes to “play a little longer this time”. The chances of that happening are very good. He was always in the starting XI in the last eight games and scored his only goal of the season against Hoffenheim.
Eggestein’s heart is still attached to Werder and his former colleagues. If possible, he follows Bremen’s games, which was even easier in the second division season because of the different schedules. “They are in good shape and play a respectable ball, which is not always so typical for a promoted team,” observed Eggestein. “They have shown that they belong in the Bundesliga and are right where they are.”
Conversely, those responsible in Bremen are also following the path of their former protégé. “Certainly that was understandable at the time,” said Fritz, Head of Professional Football & Scouting, about the departure. “He made a great development. But that was also foreseeable. He was also a top performer for us. I think he found the optimal environment for himself in Freiburg to develop, which can also be seen in his performance. ” It was certainly not the “wrong way”, said Fritz.
After the game, the two can exchange ideas and Eggestein is looking forward to that. Before that, however, he wants to take the points from Bremen with him in order to possibly fulfill a childhood dream with the sports club – qualifying for the Champions League.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:230414-99-314638/3
