by Oliver Trust

BERLIN, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Successful talent development has long been a hallmark of 2026 UEFA Europa League finalist SC Freiburg.

Former club youngsters such as Swiss international Johan Manzambi, keeper Noah Atubolu, and 2014 world champion Matthias Ginter stand out in the current squad that achieved the club's biggest success, following the side's meeting with Premier League outfit Aston Villa on May 20th in Istanbul.

Despite locational disadvantages compared to leading clubs, the SC consistently developed from a so-called "niche side" into a solid force in German football.

While the new arena, built in 2021, set a milestone by increasing spectator capacity from 24,000 to 34,700, the club's leadership developed in a calm environment.

While sporting director Jochen Saier and managing director Clemens Hartenbach have worked at the club since 2001, the team successfully managed the transition from iconic coach Christian Streich (2012-2024) to Julian Schuster, who, after a playing career, took over as head coach two years ago.

Despite several setbacks, such as relegation to the second division, Freiburg maintained its path of steady development, as official Saier put it, "we kept our identity."

"We're comfortable being more ambitious than in the past while staying true to who we are, just on a more advanced level," Saier said.

While talk of dreams remains tempered, Freiburg's collective strength and flexibility seem to carry them to new heights, including the club's first European final.

According to the sports magazine Kicker, the SC has been the leading side in the German first tier for years when it comes to developing talent for the professional team.

German internationals such as Nico Schlotterbeck (Dortmund) and Germany's number one, Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), went through Freiburg's youth academy before moving to bigger clubs after gaining first-team experience.

Freiburg turned developing and selling into a thriving business model while relying on a siege mentality.

While coach Schuster danced with the club's supporters in the stands for a long time, the former midfielder described the Europa League final as "an historic achievement that isn't changing our identity."

Roles seem defined when Freiburg faces Villa, with their coach, Unai Emery, a four-time Europa League winner (Sevilla/Villarreal).

"If you have reached a final, you want to win it no matter who you are facing," Lukas Kubler said after the defender scored twice against Braga to seal the 4-3 on aggregate. ■