You can see the stress of the last few days in his eyes. They look quite tired. Since taking part in the Olympic final in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night, Werder’s’ new arrival Robert Bauer has flown back to Frankfurt and then on to Bremen. On Tuesday he completed his medical and a fitness test. On Wednesday he was be then officially announced a Werder Bremen player. Bauer now has a new challenge in front of him
Werder’s new defender returns to Bremen not only with a silver medal but also with a new outlook on things. “I think it’s great that other types of sports are covered at the Olympics. It was fun to talk to other athletes about their sports and to see how passionate they are about it,” said Bauer, struck by the events in the Olympic village. Former Werder players Nils Petersen, Davie Selke and Keeper Eric Oelschlägel were all part of the team that made it to the final of the Olympic Games. The highlights for Bauer were the days spent in the Olympic village as well as playing in the final in the Maracana stadium.
On the downside, pre-season has not been easy for Bauer who started preparations at this former club Ingolstadt. At the Olympics Bauer only picked up 45 minutes of match practice in the group stages against the Fiji Islands. However he still feels fit and prepared. “Everyone here is a professional and is responsible for looking after themselves,” said Bauer, who has been working hard on his fitness with the athletic coaches. “I am ready for Friday.”
Head coach Viktor Skripnik hasn’t confirmed whether Bauer will start in the opening match on Friday or which position he will play. Bauer prefers to play as a full-back, however, he can also play as a centre-back or on the right wing. “We still have work to do. We are awaiting the feedback from our fitness coaches. The main thing is the willingness is there,” said Skripnik. On Wednesday afternoon you could also see how excited Bauer was to play Bundesliga football in a Werder shirt.
