"I didn’t even expect it and then all of a sudden I was called from the bench to enter the game. It was a really special moment, which I really understood. On the way to the coaching bench I looked up at the crowd and thought: What am I getting myself into?" That was Onur Ayik’s recollection of his professional debut with Werder Bremen against Bayer Leverkusen. But the 20-year-old admitted he did not struggle keeping his nerves. "I was a bit nervous but not really over-excited. In essence, it’s just a football match. It’s what I’ve been doing for the past 15 years and I was able to get some confidence during my time with the U23 team," said Ayik.

And the young talent showed that off in front of the sold-out Weser Stadium crowd. He played a heel pass here and won a challenge there and even volleyed a shot just over the crossbar. "That would have been a debut. I am a bit aggravated that I couldn’t remain calm just a bit longer to hit the ball just right," said Ayik, who received plenty of applause from the fans.

In addition to congratulations from teammates and numerous phone calls and text messages from friends and family, Ayik also received praise from head coach Thomas Schaaf. "Onur had a good performance. He earned a chance to play. You could clearly see that he wants to achieve something. I hope that he can push other young players," said the coach. That sounds like Ayik could see more appearances with Werder’s professional side.