Verl president Raimund Bertels would have trusted Rot-Weiss Essen with the role of leaders SV Elversberg. This is how RWE coach Christoph Dabrowski reacts.

SV Elversberg is the surprise in German professional football this season. The promoted team has taken the 3rd Division by storm and, despite a defeat at the start of the year, is seven points clear at the top of the table.

Meanwhile, fellow promoted team Rot-Weiss Essen is in the lower midfield of the table before the end of the first half of the season against SC Verl on Saturday (2 p.m., RS live ticker).

Yet Raimund Bertels, president of the upcoming opponents, would have seen RWE more in the role of Elversberg. “I thought that with the euphoria in Essen, a breakthrough would also be possible. But they probably underestimated the 3rd League,” he said in an RS interview before the duel.

The reaction from Essen followed on Thursday. “That sounds a bit like handing out flowers in advance and talking up the opponent,” said coach Christoph Dabrowski when asked about Bertels’ statement.

He explained the difference between RWE and SVE: “Our start to the season didn’t go as planned, we had to go through a brutal phase. In contrast, Elversberg were in the flow from the start.” The Esseners know this best – they suffered a 1:5 home debacle against the Saarlanders in their first game of the season.

Dabrowski continues: “We had to go a different way, but it welded us together. We have stabilised, the club has remained calm. We want to keep building on that.”

In the meantime, Rot-Weiss has even been unbeaten for eight games. “RWE learned quickly and made the right adjustments. They are now really in the league and hard to beat,” acknowledged Verl’s president Bertels.

In general, the long-time Regionalliga rivals hold each other in high esteem. Dabrowski underlined this on Thursday with warm words in the direction of Ostwestfalen. “Verl are already in their third year in the league. They are way ahead of us. They do it excellently, always have to integrate and develop new players.”

The 44-year-old even called Sportclub a “prime example of a training club. Young players can grow there without pressure and hectic surroundings. Mitch Kniat is also a good coach.”

So the flowers have been exchanged – on Saturday it can get down to business on the pitch of the Paderborn Arena…