“We want to embrace that challenge”

SV Werder Bremen resumed preparations for the remainder of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season on Friday afternoon. After the first session back on the training pitch, head coach Horst Steffen and head of professional football Peter Niemeyer spoke to WERDER.TV about…

…the first impressions of the squad:

Horst Steffen: “The lads had to dig deep at times in training. We already included some game-based drills and key content we’ll need, because we don’t have a long preparation period. The mood is good, they made a positive impression and, despite the snow and rain, they were really looking forward to getting started.”

Peter Niemeyer: “I had a good feeling – there was plenty of positive energy out there. Everyone was keen to be back on the pitch and chasing the ball again.”

…the reasons for not going on a training camp:

Horst Steffen: “We only have a short preparation window, and a training camp would mean additional travel. Conditions in January wouldn’t be much better than they are here, so this allows us to adapt to what we’ll actually face. Of course, there are pros and cons to going somewhere warmer – but with our team of groundskeepers, we also have very good conditions here to work under.”

Peter Niemeyer: “It was a fundamental decision we had to make. In the end, we only have three days before a normal training week ahead of a Bundesliga match begins. We consciously decided to stay here because these are the conditions we’ll be playing in – and we’d rather train than spend time travelling.”

…the key objectives of the short preparation phase:

Horst Steffen: “There are a few topics in terms of our spacing where we want to be more precise. We also want to be more ruthless in seeing attacks through in the final third. These are qualities that are already in the team, but that we can still improve. We may again switch between a back-three and a back-four to develop the flexibility to play both systems.”

…the aim of the transfer window:

Peter Niemeyer: “Even before the short break, we said we see a need in the striker position – and that’s become even more necessary following the injury to Boni. We’re trying to find a solution as quickly as possible, especially with the league restarting so soon. Anything beyond that remains to be seen, because the winter transfer window is never fully predictable.”

…the objectives for the friendly against St. Pauli:

Horst Steffen: “There will be two halves in which almost everyone will get minutes. By then, we’ll have had just two days of training, so we can’t ask the lads to play 90 minutes. Even so, it’s a Bundesliga opponent in front of a big crowd, and I’m pleased that so many people will be there. We want to use the game to test things and try out different options.”

Peter Niemeyer: “First of all, the conditions are excellent – we’ll be playing in front of a full house. Then it’s about getting our routines in place and bringing good energy onto the pitch. We want to build a positive feeling ahead of the restart.”

…opportunities to stake a claim:

Horst Steffen: “For the lads who’ve had to be patient because they weren’t part of the first-choice XI, it’s a good chance to get 45 minutes at Bundesliga level. We’ll need everyone during these next weeks with the midweek matchday, so it’s a valuable opportunity for all of them to play.”

…the Bundesliga restart against three strong opponents:

Horst Steffen: “We need the kind of positive energy we already had in the week leading up to Augsburg. Above all, it’s about our mindset, which also has to be reflected in training. I don’t mind if the opponents are from the top half of the table – we want to embrace that challenge and show that we’re a strong side as well.”

Peter Niemeyer: “It’s hugely important to be ready at exactly the right moment. We have three days of preparation before moving into a normal training week. The key is to be sharp in our processes and to have a good feeling – then, ideally, we want to play three matches at full throttle in six days.”