While Romano Schmid made the majority of his appearances for the Green-Whites off the bench last season, the 23-year-old has taken on a new role in the 2023/24 campaign. The Austria international has been named in Ole Werner’s starting XI in 14 of the 16 Bundesliga games so far this season, rising to the occasion despite the tough competition for a spot in the midfield within the squad.
Romano started the new season with a fresh mindset. “I’m taking a more positive approach and didn’t let myself get disheartened when I wasn’t chosen to start in the first game of the season, but instead kept my head up and carried on,” Schmid explained, reflecting on matchday 1 against FC Bayern when he started on the bench. The Austrian’s playing style has also taken on a new appearance. “I push forward and demand the ball more. Even when things aren’t going our way, I still try to lead the way,” he explained.
The technically-gifted midfielder proves exactly that in training, particularly through his link-up with new-signing and former-Liverpool star Naby Keïta. “He definitely makes me a better player. It’s really fun to play alongside him in training because we’re absolutely on the same wavelength when it comes to football.”
Schmid is looking to score more goals when the season resumes, which has been his biggest hurdle of the current campaign. The right-footed midfielder has only hit home once and made two assists so far, an area in which he personally sees the potential for improvement. “It’s obvious that I have to get better at scoring, which is something I need to actively work on. If my goal contributions were included in the statistics, I would be very far ahead, which would make it not just a good, but very good first half of the season for me,” Romano shared.
However, the statistics aren’t everything when it comes to analysing Schmid’s value to the team. The 29-year-old stands out on the pitch primarily due to his work ethic. “If I continue to play the way I have done so far this season, then I’ll be able to help the team, even without the perfect performance on paper,” Schmid commented on the importance of his current stats.
“For me personally, it’s also really important that I’m directly involved in the goals, and that’s where making the second assists is crucial. One of my greatest strengths is initiating goal-scoring opportunities by playing in teammates for them to make the assist.” And this is clear in the statistics. Schmid has made one of the highest numbers of second assists in the Bundesliga so far this season, behind FC Bayern youngster Jamal Musiala.
Schmid, who joined SV Werder in January 2019 and recently signed an early contract extension, has matured as a player over the last few years and seen his self-confidence blossom during this time. “When I take a look at this season, I need to have the personal goal of becoming a regular starter. If I’m getting on the team sheet, it means I’ve performed well and made the most of my chances.”
The midfielder’s development should also help him achieve his other target of playing at next year’s European Championships in Germany with the Austrian national team. Before that, however, there’s half a campaign to go at SVW. “The two are linked. I need to play well for Werder and have some success on the pitch. It’s the only way I’ll be able to present myself as an option for the national team.” Therefore, Schmid’s looking to make the most of the training time before the second half of the season kicks off, so that his side’s performances in the rest of 2023/24 are more consistent. “Unfortunately, our momentum so far this season has swung too much from good games to poor games. The problem is that we’ve not done well enough against the so-called ‘weaker’ sides, and we need to work on that.”
SV Werder Bremen have extended Romano Schmid's contract ✍️
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) December 13, 2023
It's great that you're staying with us, Romano! ????
Read more here ???? https://t.co/gMzFwpvYwW#werderpic.twitter.com/iIFCs14N6b
