SC Freiburg begins pre-season training without want-away goalkeeper Noah Atubolu

Bundesliga club SC Freiburg has officially commenced its pre-season preparations for the upcoming season, but notably without their first-choice goalkeeper, Noah Atubolu. Atubolu has expressed his desire to leave the club, leading him to train separately from the main squad during the initial phase of training.

While Atubolu worked individually with fellow goalkeeper Florian Müller, his soon-to-be successor, Mio Backhaus, who has already been signed by Werder Bremen, was present with the team. Backhaus joined head coach Julian Schuster and the other new recruits for the team's first official photograph at the Europa-Park Stadium.

Other new additions to the squad include Japanese newcomer Rihito Yamamoto, the returning Berkay Yilmaz from 1. FC Nürnberg, and talents Karl Steinmann and Rouven Tarnutzer, who have been promoted from the U23 team. The club's national team players, who participated in the World Cup, are scheduled to join the team later in July. They will integrate with the squad during the training camp in Schruns, Austria.

The training session took place on a sun-drenched pitch, which is set to be replaced with hybrid turf later in July. Approximately 3,000 SC fans gathered on the main stand, seeking shade from the intense sun, while the team engaged in drills on the field. This marked a farewell to the current pitch before its renovation.