Fritz and Jóhannsson in the squad

Assani Lukimya has impressed recently, Aron Jóhannsson is looking forward to his debut against Schalke (photo: nph).
First Team
Friday, 14.08.2015 / 18:19

In less than 24 hours Bundesliga football will be underway again at the Weser-Stadion. New arrival Aron Jóhannsson and Werder academy players are getting ready for the...

In less than 24 hours, Bundesliga football will be backagain at the Weser-Stadion. New arrival Aron Jóhannsson and the Werder academy players are getting ready for the Bundesliga opener against Schalke. Having missed the first round of the DFB cup through a suspension, club captain Clemens Fritz is also nearing a comeback to make his first competitive appearance of the 2015/2016 season. However, it is too soon for goalkeeper Raphael Wolf to be called up to the squad after his hip injury.

Everyone wants to see the new striker play, but only one person can decide. In his press conference on Thursday, Viktor Skripnik implied that Jóhannsson was "an option for the game". This decision is not an easy one to make, however, as Skripnik added that "every player needs a bit of time to settle in. Jóhannsson is also impatient and of course wants to be there. But I will decide closer to the time," clarified the coach. In contrast to the cup game, where the American was spared, the 24-year-old will be part of the squad for the first time.

Skripnik will also have all his defenders available to him for the first league game of the season. "I now have a selection headache, which is a luxury. Lukimya is quite possibly in the form of his life and at the moment has the edge over Gálvez and Vestergaard," said the head coach. But the Congolese player will not be resting on his laurels. "There is no player guaranteed to be picked," ensured the boss.

The performances will be all that count

Felix Wiedwald started in goal for Bemen in the cup game against Würzburger Kickers

Werder will still be withoutgoalkeeper Raphael Wolf this Saturday. He is expected to be included in the U23 squad in their game against Holstein Kiel, in order to gain some all-important match experience. Young goalkeeper Michael Zetterer will replace Wolf in the Werder squad. Felix Wiedwald, who has returned from loan, is set for his Bundesliga debut in a Werder shirt. "It is quite clear who will play in the starting eleven; there are only a few positions that will be decided by performances on the day," said Skripnik.

Pre-season was also a good opportunity for several Werder academy boys to show their worth on the pitch. A good number of players now await their Bundesliga debut - among others: Ulisses Garcia, Florian Grillitsch and Maximilian Eggestein. "Maxi has shown us what he's about. He's impressed us," said Skripnik's in praise of the youngster. As well as Eggestein, all the other academy players can hope to get their chance soon. "How can the youngsters make the next step in their careers, if they don't get the opportunity to play? There are several candidates that could make the leap into our first team," added Skripnik.

This is the squad for tomorrow's game against FC Schalke 04. Follow us on Twitter @werderbremen_en for live match updates from 14:00 CEST.

Zetterer, Wiedwald, Gálvez, Lukimya, Vestergaard, Fritz, Jóhannsson, Öztunali, Junuzovic, Kroos, U. Garcia, Ujah, Bartels, Gebre Selassie, Grillitsch, Eggestein, Sternberg, Bargfrede.

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.