On Tuesday, SV Werder’s preparations began for the home game against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Sunday (02/04 17:30 CEST). Even though Werder’s international players are still on their way back from their respective teams, Ole Werner’s squad is beginning to get more complete again. “For us, the break came at a good time because we were struggling with a wave of flu and some guys were out who then had the chance to recover,” explained Clemens Fritz in an interview on Tuesday.
Last week, the team was able to further increase the intensity of training sessions. This was followed by three days off, which were important for the players, according to Werder’s head of scouting and professional football, to be not only physically, but also mentally fresh again. Now the intensity of the sessions will “increase from day to day” to prepare for the match with the side currently in 15th place in the table. According to Fritz, there is no need to “prompt” the boys again after the international break. “Everyone knows what we are working towards. It’s been apparent over the course of the season that everyone has a clear goal in mind,” said the former Werder captain. “The boys are very motivated and very self-critical and demanding of themselves. We will go into the next games with this feeling.”
The Werder squad will be complete again in the second half of the week at the latest after the return of the international players, which will again intensify the competition for the starting eleven spots. “The performance on the training pitch is what matters. It’s important that everyone shows their best self and proves that they should play at the weekend. There is no one in the squad who can or does sit back. The boys challenge themselves to bring their top quality to training,” said Fritz, adding that this was particularly important again this week. After Hoffenheim’s long-awaited victory in their last match, Fritz expects a confident team to come to the wohninvest WESERSTADION. “It’s an incredibly important encounter for TSG, as it is for us. That’s why I think it will be an interesting match.”
For the former midfielder, it’s important to continue to look “from game to game”, even though the Green-Whites could take another important step towards remaining in the Bundesliga with a win against Hoffenheim. However, the Werder players have not set a fixed date for when this goal must and should be achieved. “We want to be successful in staying in the league this season. I can’t say when that will happen either, but of course we have to be and want to be safe on the last match day.”
