Freiburg Surge to Bundesliga Summit After Six-Match Winning Run

Freiburg moved to the top of the Bundesliga after a commanding 5-0 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach at Europa-Park Stadion. The result gave Julian Schuster’s team maximum points from its opening three league matches and extended Freiburg’s run to six consecutive competitive wins at the start of the campaign.

The victory also lifted Freiburg above Borussia Dortmund on goal difference. Regardless of the remaining Matchday 3 results, Freiburg are guaranteed to stay first for at least another week.

Key facts from the source match report

Result: Freiburg 5-0 Borussia Mönchengladbach
League position: First in the Bundesliga after Matchday 3
Competitive record: Six wins from six matches
League statistics: 10 goals scored and one conceded
Scorers: Yannik Engelhardt (2), Igor Matanovic (2), Maximilian Eggestein (1)

A five-goal statement

Freiburg established control with an emphatic performance that matched the biggest win of Schuster’s tenure, previously recorded against Werder Bremen in February 2025. Yannik Engelhardt and Igor Matanovic both scored twice, while Maximilian Eggestein added his second goal in as many games.

For Engelhardt, the result had an added personal dimension. The midfielder returned to Freiburg this summer after spells with Fortuna Düsseldorf, Como and Gladbach. His two goals against his former club made an already significant team performance especially memorable.

Matanovic has also made an immediate impact. The forward has scored six goals in six competitive appearances, helping Freiburg address the attacking void created by Johan Manzambi’s summer move to Aston Villa. Freiburg’s 10 league goals are currently the best total in the division.

Set pieces and squad depth

The early success has not depended on one player alone. Freiburg have had 11 different goalscorers this season, while set pieces have become a particularly productive part of their attacking approach.

The club has scored nine goals from dead-ball situations, including six from corners. Derry Scherhant has played a central role in that area, taking six of the corners that have led to goals. His influence has also seen him move ahead of experienced playmaker Vincenzo Grifo in the current pecking order.

There have been changes elsewhere in the squad without disrupting the team’s structure. Jordy Makengo has taken over at left-back from long-serving captain Christian Gunter, while Matthias Ginter has contributed three league assists from defence.

Defensive record raises expectations

Freiburg’s start has been notable at both ends of the pitch. The team has scored 10 times in the Bundesliga and conceded only once, giving it the joint-best defensive record alongside defending champions Bayern Munich.

That balance has helped Freiburg produce the best opening to a Bundesliga season in the club’s history. It also provides a stronger foundation than a brief run of high-scoring matches alone, although the campaign remains at an early stage.

Schuster, who is in his third season in charge, stressed that the team must not treat its current position as proof of anything beyond a successful opening. “We are only on Matchday 3; if we were here on Matchday 32, it would be a different story. It’s fine for the moment, we are putting in good performances, and you can see certain things coming together. But things can turn the other way just as quickly,” he said after the match, according to the Bundesliga report.

A club building on recent progress

Freiburg have finished in the Bundesliga’s top seven in four of the last five seasons. The club also reached the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League final, where it lost to Aston Villa in Istanbul.

Those achievements have gradually raised expectations around the Black Forest club. A first top-four finish would represent another major step and could bring Champions League football, but Schuster has warned that the situation can change quickly over a long league season.

For now, Freiburg’s position is built on more than a single result: six competitive victories, a productive attack, a disciplined defence and contributions from across the squad. The next matches will show whether that combination can survive the pressure that comes with leading the Bundesliga.

What remains unclear

The true test for Freiburg will come in the weeks ahead. While the team has faced three Bundesliga opponents and three in cup competitions, the quality of opposition will increase. The club has not yet faced any of the traditional title contenders, and Schuster’s side will need to maintain its form through the international break and beyond.

Additionally, Freiburg’s history of strong starts followed by mid-season slumps means caution is warranted. The club finished seventh in 2023/24 and fifth in 2024/25, showing consistency but not yet a sustained title challenge.

Source: Bundesliga, “New Bundesliga leaders Freiburg hit record form” — https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/freiburg-record-form-top-of-table-perfect-start-matanovic-schuster-39162

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