Matanović reflects on Stuttgart defeat and growing role at Freiburg

Igor Matanović did not hide his emotions after the final whistle, admitting the defeat in Stuttgart hit him hard as Freiburg narrowly missed out on a positive result.

“I feel terrible right now. I need to sort everything out in my head first,” the striker confessed. He was quick, however, to acknowledge the quality of the opposition. “Stuttgart have enormous quality - you have to give them credit for that.”

On a personal level, Matanović spoke openly about his increasing importance within the Freiburg side. “It feels good to be a regular starter now. It’s not that I didn’t feel the trust before - it’s just showing more clearly now through my playing time,” he said.

The 22-year-old also touched on Freiburg’s collective identity and his role within it. “Freiburg generally play with a very solid and strong defence, and as a striker you have to integrate yourself into that structure,” he explained.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the match for Matanović was his duel with Stuttgart centre-back Jeff Chabot. “That battle was really interesting. He’s [Jeff Chabot] obviously a unit - like most centre-backs,” he said. “I also think I got a few whistles against me that weren’t entirely fair, but overall it’s a lot of fun playing with this team.”

Despite the disappointment of defeat, Matanović’s comments reflected both ambition and growing confidence as he continues to establish himself in Freiburg’s attack.