Wesley Lopes Beltrame had hardly arrived at Werder when he was already faced with his first test. In his Bundesliga debut with the Green-Whites, the opponents were none other than their archrivals Bayern Munich - a thrilling showdown in which the new acquisition was able to show his skills. Werder manager Klaus Allofs was not the only one impressed with the 23-year-old's huge willingness to run.

"The game here is much faster and space is tighter"

And he didn't have to wait long for the next highlight as Werder played in the North Derby on the sixth game day against Hamburg, where Wesley's big idol Zé Roberto plays. "I idolize his playing style and would like to fill my role like he does - offensively but at the same time tactically disciplined," said the new Bremen player about his compatriot. But the admiration did not keep Bremen from winning as Werder's No. 5 assisted Hugo Almeida with five minutes to play to make it 3-2. It was Wesley's second assist for Werder after setting up the goal to bring Werder within 2-1 against Tottenham in the Champions League. His second goal would follow soon as well as 'Wes' made it 2-0 in Bremen's 4-1 victory in Mönchengladbach on the ninth game day.

Despite the good start, the Brazilian was impressed with the level of the Bundesliga. "The game here is much faster and the space is tighter - you hardly get a break," said the all-arounder, who relies on his own strengths. "I really enjoy running so that's why I don't have a lot of problems adapting." Wesley's strong Bundesliga showings did not go unnoticed by his compatriots as he was invited to the Brazilian national team Selecao for the first time in October 2010.

"Next season I will help Werder Bremen even more"

But then came the setback as the Brazilian suffered a thigh injury against Schalke and would miss three months. "That was a big setback for me, especially because things were going so well," said Wesley. It was no surprise that the 67-kilogram midfielder has struggled to find his form since his comeback. "After the injury I first had to find my rhythm and my self-confidence again," said Wesley. "Next season I will help Werder Bremen even more."

Wesley has also adapted quickly to the city of Bremen. "My wife and I have gotten used to the city. Bremen is a pretty and quiet city which fits our temperament," said Wesley. The Brazilian has even warmed to the German cuisine. All told the Brazilian sees his first season in German as a positive. "I feel very at home in Bremen!" Werder and Wesley - that has the makings of a long and successful collaboration. The Brazilian looks optimistically to the future. "When we prepare well and stay clear of injuries, then we will celebrate success again next year," said Wesley.