Whether it's Garcia on Menorca or Elia in Monaco - many Werder players are enjoying the sun, relaxing and spending time with the family. Özkan Yildirim and Julian von Haacke meanwhile aren't thinking about holidays at all. Both Werder youth talents are working hard on their comebacks for next season following operations last month.

"I am working on my first running drills on the treadmill," said Yildirim. After undergoing groin surgery at the end of April, he is now working on increasing his stress, going through weight training, stabilisation drills and the first workouts with the ball the past couple of weeks. And you can see clear improvement. "If it keeps going like this, maybe even the doctor will let me take a short holiday. But I want to be top fit for the start of training camp because next season is very important for me," said Yildirim.

Yildirim's training partner at the moment is Julian von Haacke, who is also working on his comeback after a torn ACL. "There's no comfortable holiday for me this year. I'm working through it," said the 20-year-old, who is not only working out five days a week in the Weser Stadium weight room on his return but also at home and on the weekends with a personal program.

When his teammates head to China in early July, von Haacke will continue to work on the stability of his knee in Donaustauf. It's still too early to say when he can return to the pitch for head coach Robin Dutt. Still, von Haacke, who signed his first professional contract in January, said: "I really feel good and I think that I am on a good path. I am motivated to get fit as soon as possible. After all, Ötzi and I in essence have personal observation here," said the midfield talent.