Press conference ahead of the home game against Borussia Dortmund

As the number of options at the centre-back role were fairly minimal over the past few weeks, Werner was delighted to see Milos Veljkovic and Niklas Stark return to team training. However, the head coach was hesitant to reveal whether the pair would make an appearance in the Green-Whites’ starting XI. “It will come down to how the players are feeling and how they cope with the week of training,” he explained. “Nevertheless, it’s great to see them back involved with the rest of the boys.”

Werder’s backline can expect to be greeted by a very familiar face on Saturday night. Niclas Füllkrug, who will return to the wohninvest WESERSTADION for the first time since moving to Dortmund in the summer of 2023, has had a hand in the most goals for BVB in the current campaign. After hitting the net eleven times and providing eight assists so far this season, the striker’s absence certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed by SVW. “Things have changed now that Fülle’s gone. His combination play with Duckschi was a huge component of our game, and he was prominent character in the changing room when things got tough,” praised Ole Werner. “When changes are made, it’s always challenging at the beginning, but now we have other players in our ranks who have stepped into that role.”

The Green-Whites’ task will not just be to defend against Niclas Füllkrug, but also to present their own quality as a team. “They have a lot of pace and physicality on the pitch,” Werner remarked. “However, in the last few weeks, they also conceded chances and left room for their opponent to exploit time and time again. In addition to our defensive work, it’s important that we try to create chances and don’t make too many mistakes in possession.”

????️ Ole Werner on the squad:

"Amos Pieper, Marco Friedl and Spyros Angelidis are still absent. Everyone else is available, which is a great sign for us. However, the players will still have to prove what they're capable of."#werder#svwbvbpic.twitter.com/UJVEI122iE

— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) March 7, 2024