SV Werder Bremen’s next challenge is on the horizon as they prepare to take on SV Darmstadt 98 on Saturday, 24th February (15:30 CET) at the wohninvest WESERSTADION. The Green-Whites are regarded as the favourites going into the clash, but Ole Werner is hesitant to let this have too much of an impact on their approach. “We always want to perform to the best of our ability, irrespective of who we’re up against,” expressed the head coach in the pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon.
As the Green-Whites are currently dealing with a high number of absentees, Ole Werner will be forced to come up with a new plan of action. As Marco Friedl, Niklas Stark, Isak Hansen-Aarøen, Milos Veljkovic, Amos Pieper, Leon Opitz and Spyros Angelidis are all dealing with their respective injuries, the 35-year-old will need to find players to stand in, particularly in the centre-back role. “Everyone who is selected for the squad appreciates the trust we’re putting in them. I’m totally convinced that the boys will do a great job of dealing with the challenges that come their way,” he emphasised. “It is, of course, better when all of our players are available, but we can bank on the fact that everyone here is up to the task.”
Marco Friedl's absence was likely a shock to the system for the Green-Whites. “He’s our captain, and it’s definitely a disadvantage for us when he isn’t on the pitch – especially given his recent top form,” laments Werner. Nevertheless, the head coach believes: “We have to take the situation as it is, and we’ll try to maintain a solid foundation and defend as a unit.”
Although the team will have to give everything on the pitch in terms of individual battles and fighting spirit, Werner still warned against letting their emotions get the better of them, with six players under the threat of suspension from picking up too many yellow cards. “The players are aware of how many cards they're on and which of them were unnecessary. I hope that they're all clever enough to know that verbal abuse, for example, will not help us win games.”
????️ Ole Werner on the opponent:
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) February 22, 2024
"Darmstadt are a very tricky team to play against. They adapt well to situations and find good solutions to problems. However, we want to stay organised throughout, and ultimately come away with all three points."#werder#svwsvdpic.twitter.com/01GqZdqeto
