Werder 2013 Year in Review - Five Best Matches

Thomas Eichin and Zlatko Junuzovic after the match in Frankfurt (nph).
First Team
Monday, 23.12.2013 / 13:15

The past twelve months have simply flown by! Twelve months characterized by highs and lows, disappointments and celebrations, painful setbacks and mutual support. Both the team...

The past twelve months have simply flown by! Twelve months characterized by highs and lows, disappointments and celebrations, painful setbacks and mutual support. Both the team, as well as the fans, were responsible for some emotional memories through what was a very difficult 2013. The situation on the whole made it tough to maintain an overview and, for that reason, WERDER.DE has put together a comprehensive review of the Green-Whites most exceptional moments throughout the year. Today, in part one: Werder Bremen's five ‚Games of the Year‘.

Farewell match for "Lutscher": "Papa, it’s over now!"

Whether it's Johan Micoud, Diego, Ailton or Thomas Schaaf, Michael Ballack and Lothar Matthäus: Many companions of Torsten Frings along the way followed his call last September for his "My last game in GREEN". After 80 entertaining minutes, two very important people in the 36-year-old's life ended the game for Frings with Werder Allstars beating Torsten & Friends 8-7. "Hey papa, it's over now. It's time for you to come off," was the message from Frings' daughters Lena-Alina and Lisa-Katharina. "When my children came onto the pitch, it was over and I had to cry a little bit," admitted Werder's former captain. The fantastic crowd also played a major role in the extraordinary farewell match at the sold-out Weser Stadium. "I am overwhelmed," said a clearly-moved Frings.

Saviour against Frankfurt and Hoffenheim: "Have not experienced something like this before"

Everyone involved still gets shivers down their back when they think back on the home match against Hoffenheim on the 32nd match day in last season's nerve-racking relegation battle. Until the 85th minute, the Green-Whites led 2-0 after goals by Aaron Hunt (2nd) and Kevin De Bruyne (24th). In the end it was only a 2-2 draw. It's still hard to describe the positive support of the fans before, during and after the match despite losing the points at the bitter end. "The fans today were comparable to Champions League quality. Unfortunately we only played at a Bundesliga quality for 85 minutes. I pay my biggest respect to the supports. I have never experienced something like that," said striker Nils Petersen. Bremen secured their spot in the Bundesliga the next week with a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt. Centre back Sebastian Prödl said: "This moment is all about relief and it's very big. Today we thank our fantastic fans and every individual worker with the club who supported us in the last few weeks."

Latest win in North Derby against Hamburg: Another positive memory

Of course, no North Derby against Hamburg can pass without recollections of past days. In the build-up to the latest match-up, the best example for the mass public was the unforgettable series of derbies in 2009. Still, manager Thomas Eichin made clear he didn't want to think about the past: "It don't care about it. It's four years ago, an eternity in football. But if I want to experience those kinds of highlights again, then I have to face the present day." And the current Werder team did just that on the sixth match day in Hamburg with a strong showing and a 2-0 victory. Nils Petersen scored both goals and ended a stretch of 1,366 minutes without a goal.

The wild 4-4 in Hoffenheim: Endless relief and speechless

All Werder fans will remember the 14th match day of the current season as crazy and nerve-racking with a 4-4 draw in Hoffenheim. Werder twice came back from two-goal deficits and Philipp Bargfrede had been on the pitch 20 minutes after coming back from a months-long rehab from arthroscopic knee surgery before blasting home the game-winner. At the same time, it was his first Bundesliga goal. Manager Thomas Eichin saw it as a story and a match that really hit a nerve. "For the spectators, journalists and everyone else, this kind of match is of course great. But for us and the coaching staff, something like this is a disaster and costs us lots and lots of nerves," said Eichin.

February 2013, 4-1 win in Stuttgart: The end of two streaks

The Green-Whites had often in recent years suffered big losses in Stuttgart, with the recent defeats being 4-1, 6-0, 4-1, 6-3 and 4-1. But Werder were able to finally snap this streak in February 2013. With some at-times very attractive football and precision in front of the opposing goal, Werder put together an impressive 4-1 victory over Stuttgart. Mehmet Ekici played an especially big role offensively with two goals. The Turkish international scored to make it 1-0 as well as the spectacular 3-1 score, which went off the underside of the crossbar and in. Bremen also were able to snap another negative steak as Werder were not able to collect back-to-back Bundesliga victories during the entire 2012 calendar year. And that streak was over after having beaten Hannover a week earlier.

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