The final match of the season on Saturday at Bayer Leverkusen (kick-off at 3:30 p.m.) will decide if Werder Bremen end the 2013-14 season in 14th place, 12th...
The final match of the season on Saturday at Bayer Leverkusen (kick-off at 3:30 p.m.) will decide if Werder Bremen end the 2013-14 season in 14th place, 12th...
The final match of the season on Saturday at Bayer Leverkusen (kick-off at 3:30 p.m.) will decide if Werder Bremen end the 2013-14 season in 14th place, 12th place or even reach the top half of the table. But regardless of the result of the final match, Werder coach Robin Dutt appeared satisfied looking back on the nearly completed season at Thursday's official press conference. "I think the situation is great that we still have the chance at the end of this season that we could reach a single digit final placing," said the coach.
Werder's cushion on the relegation spot is 12 points and Fritz, Caldirola and Co. need only one point to reach the goal of 40 points set out in the summer of 2013. "The 39 points we have fought for thus far could lead to a certain satisfaction but this number of points cannot be taken for granted. It's not a matter of course that we have a 12 point advantage on the first relegation spot," said Dutt looking back to his first season with Werder.
Bremen may have conceded 64 goals this season, just two fewer than last year. But the Werder defence does have a meaningful stat to be proud of - 10 matches of not conceding a goal, making them the third-best team in the league in that regard. "Not giving up a goal in 10 matches certainly speaks for a good development, even though we conceded too many goals altogether," said Sebastian Prödl. Prödl said this season must be seen as a foundation for next season and beyond. "We need to keep the mental strength and attitude that we gained this season and add additional quality to once again give our game a value of recognition," said Prödl.
But there are still a couple months of holidays, summer preparations and test matches until the start of the 2014-15 Bundesliga season in August. And one more time of 90 minutes against Champions League aspirant Leverkusen this Saturday. 40 points? Ninth place? 11 matches with a clean sheet? Fewer goals conceded than last season? All of that is still possible!
