SC Freiburg defender Lukas Kübler’s remarkable habit of delivering goals on the biggest occasions continues. The 34-year-old veteran added another memorable chapter to his increasingly extraordinary goalscoring record on Thursday evening, securing a 1-0 Conference League victory over Trabzonspor with a 14th-minute strike.
As detailed in Get German Football News‘ match report and player ratings, Kübler reacted quickest after former Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana parried an Igor Matanovic header following a Vincenzo Grifo corner. The experienced right-back pounced on the rebound and finished emphatically from close range.
Kübler’s contribution ultimately proved decisive in a difficult away fixture that saw Freiburg withstand considerable second-half pressure from Thomas Reis’ Turkish side. The Bonn native also distinguished himself defensively, completing 90 percent of his passes and winning half of his ten contested duels en route to earning GGFN‘s Conference League Player of the Match honours.
For those familiar with Kübler’s career in the Breisgau, however, the goal was hardly an unprecedented occurrence.
Kübler’s knack for scoring important goals
Only last month, GGFN examined Kübler’s extraordinary goalscoring record following his contract extension. The Freiburg stalwart has repeatedly demonstrated an unusual ability to contribute decisive goals despite spending the overwhelming majority of his career in defensive positions.
The 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign provided two particularly memorable examples. Kübler scored twice in Freiburg’s 3-1 opening-day victory over VfB Stuttgart, first equalizing with an excellent effort from outside the penalty area before heading home a Grifo corner in the second half.
He repeated the feat against Wolfsburg in December, scoring another brace in a 3-2 home victory. Both goals came from set-piece situations, with Kübler once again demonstrating his instinct for anticipating loose balls and finding space inside the opposition penalty area.
Five Bundesliga goals represented an extraordinary return for a player whose primary responsibilities have always been defensive. The veteran nevertheless managed to surpass those accomplishments on an even bigger stage last season.
During Freiburg’s historic Europa League semi-final victory over Sporting Braga, Kübler scored twice in a spectacular 3-1 second-leg triumph that sent Julian Schuster’s side into their first European final.
The defender received a 9/10 rating from GGFN that evening, sharing the highest numerical mark among the Freiburg players. This season’s GGFN tactical preview simply had to include a joke about the high expectations surrounding Kübler’s forthcoming season.
Kübler’s goalscoring exploits have continued into the current campaign. He found the net during Freiburg’s DFB-Pokal victory over Fortuna Düsseldorf in August and narrowly missed another European goal when he headed against the crossbar in October’s Conference League victory over FK Jablonec.
He subsequently played an important role in Maximilian Eggestein’s winning goal against the Czech visitors, laying the ball off for his teammate to finish.
Matanovic: “That’s exactly what a Kübi goal looks like”
Speaking after Thursday’s victory in Trabzon, Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic couldn’t resist joking about his teammate’s latest decisive contribution.
“If you ask me what a typical Kübi goal looks like, I’d show you exactly that,” Matanovic noted with a laugh in the mixed zone. “Somehow, he just has a knack for scoring in these special matches. I’m really happy for him.”
Having joined the Sport-Club in 2015, Kübler has become one of the most experienced figures in Schuster’s squad. Only captain Christian Günter has spent longer at the club among the current players.
Kübler’s role extends beyond his occasional spectacular goalscoring contributions. The veteran remains a reliable defensive option, an established member of the team’s leadership group, and a player whose commitment to Freiburg has been rewarded with more than a decade of continuity.
Thursday’s victory in Trabzon provided yet another reminder of those qualities. Kübler scored the winner, helped preserve a valuable clean sheet, and once again delivered when Freiburg needed him.
For the veteran defender who has made a habit of turning up on European nights, it was simply another typical Kübi goal.
