Matanović reflects on Stuttgart defeat and growing role at Freiburg

Here are Igor Matanović’s comments after the bitter 1-0 loss against VfB Stuttgart.

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.