Barely 48 hours after his side had drawn 2-2 against VfB Stuttgart, head coach Ole Werner was back speaking to the media ahead of their mid-week cup clash against SV Darmstadt 98. The Green-Whites will host the Lilies at the Weserstadion on Tuesday, 3rd December (20:45 CET) in the round of 16 of the competition. Their goal is clear: to reach the next round.
Werner had already stated on Saturday that it's more important to consider the team's performance, rather than the result, against VfB Stuttgart. As a result, the 36-year-old was able to identify certain aspects that he will be hoping to also see out on the pitch against Darmstadt on Tuesday evening. "I hope that we will be able to build on our performance in several areas. We did the basics really well, as well as having the right energy, willingness to run and contest challenges – otherwise, we wouldn't be stood here feeling frustrated at having only drawn against Stuttgart."
SVW are expecting a different sort of opponent tomorrow, however. "For us, it will come down to not making too many mistakes when in possession and being able to find the right spaces," he explained. "Darmstadt are a team that are able to seek out various options when in possession and it's tough to break them down, which is what makes them one of the most in-form sides currently in the second division. We will need to be focused on defending well against counter-attacks, as well as maintaining the disciplined high press we've implemented thus far."
If the Green-Whites manage to execute this game plan against the Lilies, they will move one step closer towards achieving their goal of reaching the final in Berlin. "Every season, we believe in the fact that we can achieve something special in the cup in just a few games," Werner said. "For us, it goes without saying that we are only ever focused on the task at hand in this competition. The other teams in the round of 16 will also be wanting to advance as far as possible in the competition. We will need to give it everything, expect everything and be well prepared. That's what we've achieved so far, and it's what's needed to then be able to direct our focus further down the line."
????️ Ole Werner gives a squad update ahead of tomorrow's cup clash: Felix Agu is unavailable, with every other player fit to feature. The feedback from the game against Stuttgart was positive. #werder #svwd98
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@en.werder.de) 2 December 2024 at 11:06
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