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The final curtain
LEONARDO BITTENCOURT BIDS FAREWELL TO SV WERDER BREMEN
17/05/26 | 5 Min
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The time had come to soak in the atmosphere and look towards the Ostkurve one last time. There was one last gift to the Werder fans, too. “I’m giving you my last shirt,” said Leonardo Bittencourt as he spoke to the fans in the Ostkurve. With that, the midfielder said goodbye to SV Werder Bremen, a club that has grown dear to his heart in the past seven years.
Leonardo Bittencourt had ended up losing his race against time, and he was determined to bid farewell to SVW and the fans on the pitch. Under normal circumstances, the 32-year-old would not have been able to fulfil this wish. “It would’ve taken a while longer before I could’ve really helped the team out,” explained Bittencourt. “That’s why I’d like to say a huge thank you to the boys and the coach for making it happen.”
He quickly dismissed the idea of leaving the club in winter, since his contract was on the verge of expiring anyway. He was still determined not to leave his team in the lurch during a tricky period. The fact that SVW managed to turn things around over the second half of the campaign was in no small part down to Bittencourt, too. “We’re going to miss Leo a lot as a player and as a person,” said teammate Jens Stage. “He played a big part in us securing our spot in the Bundesliga next season because he always brought his A game in the dressing room. I don’t know how this season would’ve gone without him.”
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His cameo in the 2-0 loss against Borussia Dortmund marked Bittencourt’s 189th appearance for Werder. Although he was only able to play for a total of 610 minutes in the 2025/26 season, he’ll leave a hole in the team behind him. “It’s going to be both quieter and more chaotic in the dressing room, since he really held the reins,” said goalkeeper Mio Backhaus. “His departure is a huge loss for the team. He helped me out a lot personally, and I wish him only the best for the future.”
It was made official in December that the 32-year-old would leave the club in the summer. Over the past weeks and months, the minutes and hours ticked down until it was time to say goodbye. “I’ve been at Werder longer than any other club, and I fully identify with the club,” explained Bittencourt. “But my time here has come to an end and, for that reason, it’s the right decision – even though it’s been hard for me, because this club is really close to my heart.”
Bittencourt will now embark on a new journey after bringing the Werder chapter of his career to a close. “I tried to soak it up as much as possible, and I feel proud and grateful to have had the chance to experience this,” said Bittencourt. “The fans make the club so special and, as a player, you have to experience that for yourself.” Bittencourt wasn’t the only person giving out presents on Saturday. As a token of their gratitude, the Green-White supporters gifted Bittencourt a jumper, showing him that he’ll be one of them forever.
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