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Werder all set for first pre-season friendly in Verden
MATCH PREVIEW AHEAD OF THE FRIENDLY AWAY AT FC VERDEN 04
17/07/26
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SV Werder Bremen are gearing up to play their first friendly of pre-season ahead of the 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign. For the fourth year running, the Green-Whites will begin their summer schedule in the home town of main sponsor MATTHÄI, as they face Lower-Saxony-based Oberliga side FC Verden 04 on Saturday, 18th July 2026 at 15:00 CEST at the Stadion am Berliner Ring. Alongside one or two new signings, Werder’s new home shirt will also make its first appearance.
The squad: Those players who represented their countries at the World Cup and European U19 Championship – Marco Friedl, Romano Schmid and Alexander Schlager (all Austria), Cedric Itten (Switzerland), Patrice Čović and Karlo Šimić (both Croatia U19), as well as Mick Schmetgens (Germany U19) – are still on holiday following the tournaments. Mitchell Weiser and Julian Malatini have not yet returned to full team training and are therefore not available for selection. With Senne Lynen, Felix Agu, Dariusz Stalmach and Skelly Alvero also absent from training on Friday, their involvement remains uncertain.
Head coach Daniel Thioune on the game: “We want to minimise the amount of time our opponents have on the ball and not allow them any spells of possession. We’ll press high and test them right from the off. We’ll send two separate teams out onto the pitch, both of which will be tasked with bringing a high tempo to the game and creating opportunities to break at speed. I want to see us put into practice the basics we have worked on, both in possession and without the ball.”
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The opposition: FC Verden 04 are heading into their third consecutive season in the Oberliga. The side finished the 2025/26 campaign in 11th place and stayed above the relegation zone thanks to their goal difference. The side coached by the duo of Bastian Reiners and Oliver Warnke have already played four friendlies as part of their summer preparations, facing VSK Osterholz-Scharmbeck (3-1), Vorwärts Hülsen (5-0), FC St. Pauli II (5-5) and SV Blau-Weiß Bornreihe (1-0)
The new shirt: Werder will not only play their first friendly of pre-season in Verden, but will also showcase the new home shirt in front of supporters for the first time. You can secure the new jersey here.
How to follow the game: Standing tickets are still available here, while all seated tickets have already sold out. For those unable to attend in person, the match will still be available to watch: presented by main sponsor MATTHÄI, Werder’s first friendly will be streamed free of charge on WERDER.TV and the Green-Whites’ YouTube channel.
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