Freiburg fire four past Schalke to move up to third
With their dreams of qualifying for the Champions League for the first-ever time still very much intact ahead of this contest, Freiburg were once again in the mood to punish a promoted visiting side, and took the lead within the opening 10 minutes.
Gregoritsch was the latest to strike an arrow into the hearts of relegation-threatened Schalke, opening his account for the afternoon by firing into the bottom corner.
Just minutes later, and with red shirts now flooding Schalke’s penalty box, Vincenzo Grifo smashed the post as the game threatened to get away from Thomas Reis’ side.
And though the visitors had initially appeared to recompose themselves, they would be pegged back further before half-time when Gregoritsch headed home Christian Gunter's whipped cross for his 50th Bundesliga goal.
In need of a tactical change-up in order to turn the tide, Reis made a double substitution at the break to try to get his side back in the content.
That would do little to boost his team's fortunes however, with Lucas Holer’s effort from inside the area squirming past Alexander Schwolow after some more dismal defending from the visitors.
Schwolow might not have covered himself in glory for the third goal but the Bundesliga strugglers had their keeper to thank for keeping the scoreline down. He made some vital interventions in the final stages, including a fantastic stop with his legs to thwart Gregoritsch’s close-range effort.
Freiburg would eventually grab a fourth in the final minutes though, as Matthias Ginter drove home from 10 yards out, after yet more soft Schalke defending.
Ultimately, the visitors were once again victims to the unforgiving nature of the German top-flight, as Freiburg waltzed to victory in what was surprisingly only a second win in their last six competitive matches at the Europa Park Stadion.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Michael Gregoritsch (Freiburg)