The head coach on the game: According to Kohfeldt, it would be a mistake to assume that tomorrow’s game will be an easy win. “Köln really do have a lot of individual talent and they work well as a team. Even if their results haven’t been as good over the last few weeks, they have a clear game plan,” said Kohfeldt, who also referred to the tough fixtures Köln have had to start the season. He added that head coach Markus Gisdol’s side are “very good on the counter-press and in putting their opponents under pressure.” However, Kohfeldt is expecting his side to have more possession on Friday night than they did last time out against Eintracht Frankfurt. Werder’s attack will see some rotation, according to Kohfeldt: “I think we will be utilizing different players in attack. We need to play with pace and link up well.” Werder will be looking to use the confidence they have won from their games so far to their advantage on Friday, with there being a ‘positive’ feeling of tension within the team, according to Kohfeldt. “Twelve points from seven games would be great, and that’s what we’re looking to get,” he said. “But, we have a tough 90 minutes standing in the way of that.”
The most recent meeting: Who could forget Werder’s 6-1 win in the wohninvest WESERSTADION on 27th June of this year? It was a do-or-die game for Werder on the final day of the 2019/20 season. In the end, the Green-Whites saved themselves from automatic relegation and entered the playoffs. Union Berlin’s 3-0 win against Fortuna Düsseldorf provided a helping hand to Werder’s hopes, but the Green-Whites did their part as well in order to pull off a last-gasp escape from the drop. It was also Werder’s biggest Bundesliga win in the last 11 years. Yuya Osako (22’, 58’), Milot Rashica (27’), Niclas Füllkrug (29’), Davy Klaassen (55’), Josh Sargent (68’) and Köln’s Dominick Drexler (62’) all got on the scoresheet that day.