Courageous on the big stage

Bayern München preview

  • Show Matchcenter
FC Bayern and Werder Bremen will kick-off the 2016/17 Bundesliga season on Friday (photo: nordphoto)
preliminary report
Thursday, 25.08.2016 / 17:33

The waiting is over as the 54th edition of the Bundesliga finally kicks off on Friday evening at 20:30 CEST. The whole of the footballing world will be focused on Munich where Bayern München and Werder Bremen will face off in the season opener, which will be seen in not only Germany, but also Asia, North America and the Pacific. Werder have been involved in the opening game of the season twice already, against Schalke (1-0 victory) in 2004 and Dortmund (2-1 loss). Despite the difficult task ahead of them, the Green-Whites will hope to put in a courageous performance: “We want to play like we did in the DFB Cup in April tomorrow. That was a bold performance,” said Skripnik ahead of the Bayern game. Florian Grillitsch is also looking forward to the game: “A season opener against Bayern is a definite incentive to give 100 percent.”  

Read below why Werder were a part of the most curious Bundesliga season opener, what connection Frings, Pizarro, Fritz, Baumann and Vander have to new Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti and what kind of audience the game will have. 

Did you know…

…the Bundesliga opener will be broadcast in almost 150 countries? When record winner Bayern and Werder take each other on there will be 571 broadcasters in 149 countries showing the game. The game between the two clubs will be shown in 11 South American countries, 24 African, 29 Asian states and 30 North American countries. It will obviously also be shown in Europe (55 countries). 

The lights went out during the 2004 season opener at the Weser-Stadion (archive photo: nordphoto)

…Werder scored the ‘latest’ goal in a season opener? Werder and Schalke made the history books for a number of reasons after a one hour power outage in the 2004 season opener, not least because Nelson Valdez scored the winner for Werder in the 84th minute of the game at 23:15 CEST, the latest time at which a goal has been scored in the Bundesliga. 

…Werder ruined another Italian coach’s debut for Bayern? Carlo Ancelotti will celebrate his Bundesliga debut during Friday’s game. The 57-year-old is the second Italian to take charge at Bayern München after Giovanni Trapattoni. “Trap” lost the 1994 Supercup match 3-1 to Werder on his Bayern debut in the dugout after extra time at the Olympiastadion in Munich. 

Torsten Frings and Claudio Pizarro were in the team that knocked Ancelotti’s AC Milan ream out of the UEFA Cup in 2009 (archive photo: nordphoto).

…where the Green-Whites stand against Bayern statistically? The Bavarians have won almost half of the hundred Bundesliga meetings between the two sides (49 matches) but SVW have inflicted more defeats on Bayern than any other club in the German first division (26).

…some of the current Green-Whites have history with Carlo Ancelotti? AC Milan, lead by Carlo Ancelotti, took on SVW in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup in the 2008/09 season and drew 1-1 in the first leg. Current assistant coach Torsten Frings, goalkeeping coach Christian Wander, Claudio Pizarro and Clemens Fritz started at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium against the “Rossoneri”, while sporting director Frank Baumann was on the bench. Werder went 2-0 down early on but but Pizarro grabbed a brace to put Werder on terms and eliminate Milan’s  team of stars, including Paolo Maldini, Andrea Pirlo and coach Ancelotti on the away goals rule. 

… Christian Dingert will officiate the match? The 36-year-old public administration specialist from Lebecksmühle has taken charge of 79 Bundesliga and 97 2. Bundesliga matches. He has refereed ten Bremen games so far, including the match between Bayern and Werder at the Weser Stadion last year when SVW suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat. Tobias Christ and Arne Aarnink will be Christian Dingert’s assistants, while Dr Jochen Drees will be the fourth official. 

…Werder will be active on Snapchat throughout the game? The Green-Whites have been active on this social media platform since training restarted in July and you can follow the Snapchat story of the game by adding werdersnaps, the official account of SV Werder Bremen! 

 

Latest News

Marvin Ducksch taking a penalty.

Striving for victory on the road
26.04.2024 / preliminary report
Ole Werner pointing.

“We know exactly where we stand”
25.04.2024 / First Team
Romano Schmid wearing a Werder shirt leaving the pitch

A licence to attack
24.04.2024 / First Team
Felix Agu completed an individual session in the stadium on Wednesday (Photo: W.DE).

Five Werder players missing, Agu managing worklo ...
24.04.2024 / First Team
Ole Werner speaking in the huddle.

“The three points are hugely important”
21.04.2024 / First Team
Your web browser ist outdated.
The web browser you are using is no longer supported.
Please download one of these free and up to date browsers.
Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge
Chrome Firefox Edge
Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
MS Edge
Why should I use an up to date web browser?
Security
Newer web browsers provide better protection against malware, data theft and other threats to your privacy and security. Up to date browsers continuously close security holes that allow attackers to enter your computer.
New Technologies
The technologies used on modern websites are better supported by newer web browsers. This both increases functionality and improves the website layout. By benefiting from new functions and extensions you will be able to surf the web faster and easier.