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.
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.