With regards to his own performance, the midfielder sees improvement potential. He describes how he works at 100% everyday to improve as a player. His aim is to become better integrated into the defence as well as the attack and to make more challenges for the ball. “I try to make it difficult for my opposite number and he does the same to me. If I get the opportunity then I have to give it my best. That’s what I train for,” said Stage. “I understand everything and know what I have to do. But in a game it is different. There, it is about where I can be useful for the team and in which positions I can help the team. That’s what I try to do,” explained the Dane and added, “When I am on the pitch I don’t think much about myself, but about where we can win the game. That is my attitude.”
Stage knows that in the upcoming game against Bayer 04 Leverkusen it will be hugely important “to work as a team” and “to be compact” and he doesn’t want to underestimate Werder’s opponent despite their underwhelming start to the season. “I know that they are a very good team, even if they have had a difficult start. Their individual quality is one of the highest in the league. We have to play as a team, how we always do. If we do this, we can make any game difficult for any opponent,” summarised Stage finally.
