VfL Bochum’s – supposedly – last opponent of the season is still cautiously looking upwards. Werder Bremen want to get into the Conference League.
Season finale on the Weser! While VfL Bochum’s last game of the 2023/24 season will be about staying out of the league, their opponents can still hope for international competition – and celebrate 20 years of winning the double.
With 39 points, SV Werder Bremen have not only secured their place in the league ahead of time, but still have minimal remaining hopes of competing in the Conference League in the new season.
SVW (11th) are three points behind SC Freiburg in 8th place and have the better goal difference. Should SCF lose at Union Berlin, Werder could still overtake them with a win. However, FC Augsburg and 1. FC Heidenheim, who are level on points with Werder, are also hoping for this chance. If Bayer Leverkusen win the cup final against Kaiserslautern, this place would be enough
For Bremen, it’s not just about giving summer departures Nick Woltemade, Christian Groß and Jiri Pavlenka as well as Frank Baumann a good send-off. Coach Ole Werner revealed at the pre-match press conference that the long-serving No. 1 will not be standing between the posts against VfL.
When you watch several games in Bochum, you know that it’s rarely nice when you play against Bochum.
Ole Werner
“There’s no question that Pavlas deserves a fitting farewell after all the great things he’s done over the years,” explained Werner. “But we are still playing to turn a good season into a very good one. Zetti has done exceptionally well, so he will be in goal.”
The 36-year-old expects a tough battle from VfL, who have not yet been rescued: “If you watch several games in Bochum, then you know that it’s rarely nice when you play against Bochum. It’s a team that runs up the whole pitch and gets you involved in an incredible number of tackles. You have to outplay this pressing.”
The first leg ended 1-1 after a hard-fought match, and Werner expects a similar game on matchday 34: “It will be a hectic game, a battle. Bochum won’t hide, will defend aggressively going forward and will involve us in many one-on-one situations. It won’t be a soccer festival. We have to assert ourselves in these situations and accept this game and bring the intensity onto the pitch.”
The aim now is to go into the summer break with a seventh home win – and, at best, into Europe. Bremen’s head coach also wants that: “Our aim and our goal is of course to win the game.” For the injured Amos Pieper and Justin Njinmah, the season is already over before the Bochum game