The plans for the start of 2022 were different to what actually happened, but the last-minute cancellation of the training camp hasn't prevented SV Werder from getting back into the swing of things. At least according to Christian Groß: “The only thing which would have been different in Spain is perhaps the weather. But that’s just the way it happened. We’ve worked hard and were able to work on certain areas of our game during the friendly matches.”
...returning players: “You can see just how happy the rest of us are to see them back. They’ve been sorely missed both on and off the pitch. They’re important, experienced players, and so it’s a good time for them to return.”
...preparations for the restart: “The preparations have been somewhat atypical, because we’ve only had a week before this one to prepare for the game. We’ve made good use of the time we’ve had here. The only thing which would have been different in Spain is perhaps the weather. But that’s just the way it happened. We’ve worked hard and were able to work on certain areas of our game during the friendly matches.”
...goals for the season: “Of course we’d like to finish in one of the top three places, but there are currently a few teams above us in the table who also want to do the same. In the final three games of 2021, we showed we’re going in the right direction, but that’s also to do with the amount of work we put in. I’m still not censoring myself from saying the word we all want to hear.”
...the recent wins: “The good feeling we got from the recent wins is still there, but we still need to get back on the roll we were on before Christmas. We want to keep the momentum going and pick up more points, so we can climb higher and higher in the table.”
...Düsseldorf: “I’m expecting a good opponent with a lot of quality. I think they’re not performing quite as well as they would like, but the last game we played against them was tight and exciting, and we fortunately got the winner at the end from the penalty spot.”
...the fight for places in the team: “It’s helped us sharpen up over the last few weeks. We’ve got a lot of top-quality players, which makes each individual give their best in training and in matches. That’s the only way your team will be successful.”
