Since the game against Stuttgart, Marvin Ducksch has only taken part in individual training. The question remains if Werder’s top-scorer from last season with be ready to start the upcoming away game against Borussia Dortmund (20th August, 15:30 CEST). Ducksch himself is confident of playing: “I have only been training individually but it is looking good. I think that tomorrow I will be able to rejoin the team.”
It is no great surprise that the Werder striker is looking forward to the clash with BVB. The striker was born in Dortmund and spent his entire youth career in the BVB system, before joining SC Paderborn in 2014. In total, he spent 13 years at Dortmund and is looking forward to going back there: “It will obviously be very special. Regardless of if you are from Dortmund or not, to run out in front of 81,000 fans is always something amazing, even if you are doing so as the opposition.” Even if Dortmund will always have a special place in his heart, playing in a Werder shirt, Ducksch wants to make their life difficult. “I look back fondly on my time at Dortmund. What’s important, though, is the here and now. Now I play for Bremen and I want to win points for Bremen,” affirmed Werder’s number seven.
The clash against Dortmund is the next huge challenge Werder face this season. BVB have won their first two games in the Bundesliga. Despite this, Ducksch knows that Werder will be able to compete. “We want to keep up our pressing and concentrate on the way we play. Obviously it will be difficult to carry this out, and it is not always possible for 90 minutes, but we want to control the game for as long as we can.” This is an aim that has also shaped the first two games of the Bundesliga season. In their two games so far, however, SVW have been unable to avoid the game finishing in a draw. Ducksch is well aware of the difficulty that comes as a result of playing in the top division in Germany. “There is definitely more defensive work and you have to work back more as a striker. Individual players in the Bundesliga are better, the play moves much quicker and the quality is higher.” Ducksch has already demonstrated his quality in the second division. Having set a target during the 2021/22 season for how many goals he wanted to score for Werder, he went on to score 19 goals and was Werder’s top-scorer. In the Bundesliga he has gone without a similar target and is focussing above all on simply helping the team. “I have assisted one goal and been involved in the build-up to another. I am not measuring my performance by goals, I just want to help the team. I am trying to lead the way with my performances and if that succeeds, I will have nothing to be ashamed of.”
