ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt, fɹˈaɪɚ wʌz pˈɑːɹt ʌv bˈɑːtʃəmz sˈɛkənd tˈiːm, ænd ˌɔn fˈaɪv noʊvˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪn, hiː mˌeɪd hɪz pɹəfˈɛʃənəl deɪbjˈuː fɚðə fˈɜːst tˈiːm ɪn ɐ tˈuː zˈiəɹoʊ wˈɪn ɐɡˈɛnst ˌɛsvˈiː wˈɔldhɑːf mˈænhaɪm ˌɔn mˈætʃdeɪ ᵻlˈɛvən ʌvðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd tˈuː.
In 1998, Freier was part of Bochum's second team, and on 5 November 1999, he made his professional debut for the first team in a 2–0 win against SV Waldhof Mannheim on matchday eleven of the 1999–2000 2.