Another trick up the sleeve against Stuttgart?

Fin Bartels celebrates his goal in the 2-0 win over VfB Stuttgart before the winter break (photo: nph)
First Team
Wednesday, 08.04.2015 / 17:06

The Weser-Stadion erupted in the previous meeting against VfB Stuttgart when Fin Bartels fired home a corner from the training ground in the 57th minute to secure the win for...

The Weser-Stadion erupted in the previous meeting against VfB Stuttgart when Fin Bartels fired home a corner from the training ground in the 57th minute to secure the win for his side. The 2-0 win was the first victory at home of the season and Werder got off the bottom of the table following matchday 11. Have Bartels and Co. thought about the same thing happening again against VfB this time around?

"I believe that if we tried the same thing this time round then we wouldn't score. The routine is known now and teams will prepare themselves for it happening ahead of the game," said the goalscorer from the previous meeting. The other goal was scored by Sebastian Prödl, who headed home from a corner and Zlatko Junuzovic provided both assists. Fin Bartels still remembers the 8th November 2014 - the day of their first win at home under new manager Viktor Skripnik: "That win was an extremely important result. We didn't have much confidence at the time and weren't playing at the same level as we are at the moment. Our strength from set-pieces have helped us in the relegation battle."

Bartels: “Stuttgart desperate to pick up points”

Werder picked up their first home win of the season against Stuttgart (photo: nph)

SV Werder are the most dangerous team from set-pieces in the league with 19 goals coming from dead ball situations, however they know that they have to perform well from open play too. "We're considerably more mature now than before the previous game. We'll go to Stuttgart with confidence," said Bartels. According to the 28-year-old, the confidence will be there, despite a small setback against Mainz. "The game didn't really go how I expected it to. Unfortunately, I wasted a huge chance just before the end. I thought about it after the game but it's over now and we're focussing on the game against Stuttgart," said the midfielder.

Their opponents, who are managed by Huub Stevens, currently sit bottom of the table, which is exactly where Werder were ahead of the game between the two sides in the first half of the season. Bartels believes that they can't be "blinded" by that. "VfB's biggest problem is that they aren't getting the results. I think that they are playing the best football of the teams who are in the relegation battle. It'll definitely be a tough test. The only small advantage that we have is that Stuttgart are desperate to pick up points and we want to win," he said.

Reunion with Robin Dutt

Bartels fired agonizingly wide in the closing stages against Mainz (photo: nph)

There will be a reunion with a familiar face on Sunday afternoon because former Werder manager Robin Dutt is now sporting director at VfB Stuttgart. "We'll all say hello to him and shake his hand before the game but as soon as the game kicks-off then the focus will be on our own game," explained Bartels. And who knows - we might even see the execution of another corner routine from the training ground.

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