In the 34th round of the 2024/25 Bundesliga, Freiburg took the lead after Ritsu Doan scored a goal, but then lost the ball repeatedly and was eventually defeated by Frankfurt 1 to 3. Coach Schuster said that although his team suffered a defeat, he hoped that the players would be proud of their efforts.

Philipp Lienhart threw the ball into the penalty area in the 27th minute, Matthias Ginter headed the ball, and Ritsu Doan volleyed the ball directly into the goal, helping Freiburg to take the lead 1-0. But in the first half stoppage time, Knauf received Fares Chaiby's header and broke through the defense with a low shot, equalizing the score for Frankfurt 1-1.

In the 61st minute of the second half, Ekiti passed the ball to Christensen at the top of the penalty area and shot from a distance, helping Frankfurt to overtake 2-1. Just two minutes later, Christensen assisted Elyes Sishiri to score with a low shot, helping Frankfurt to change the score to 3-1.

In the end, Freiburg lost to Frankfurt 1-3 at home. Although they cannot participate in the Champions League next season, Freiburg still qualified for the UEFA Europa League with the fifth place in the Bundesliga.

Frankfurt coach Schuster said in an interview, "We have not lost anything, but gained something. At this moment, we should be proud. It is a great blessing to coach such a great team. We have continued to improve throughout the season and have dealt with various setbacks well. From the team, coaching staff, club staff to passionate fans, everyone's efforts have given us the opportunity to compete in Europe again."

"We started well, played physically and won a lot of balls, which we expected because Frankfurt relied on transition. We did a good job of limiting their transition, but Frankfurt's attacking quality meant they always had chances."

Schuster also pointed out that "there was a long period of time in the game that was going in our favor, but the equalizer before halftime and the good opportunities we missed in the second half, these details often determine the direction of the game. Later, the situation became a bit chaotic, which was also related to the way Frankfurt responded, but there is nothing wrong with it. If it were me, I would handle it the same way."

"We haven't been able to beat teams like Leverkusen and Frankfurt this season, but I don't think that's a criticism because the most important thing is what we have achieved together.