“We need to rise to the role”

Adi Hütter on...

…team news: “Erik Durm and André Silva are both in training and are more than just an option. They took part in today’s intensive session and did well. There’s nothing stopping them making an appearance. Evan Ndicka is suspended but we have a few options to replace him. On the whole, our medical department is doing an unbelievably good job and we hardly have any injuries or muscular issues. And the boys are doing their bit too. We’re in constant communication when a player feels tired.”

…handling the current sense of euphoria: “I’m not going to dampen the euphoria and will always make sure the squad stay focused in training. We know Werder Bremen will want to show a reaction after losing 4-0 to Hoffenheim. We won’t be receiving any gifts.”

...Werder Bremen: “Bremen define themselves as a possession-based team who have recently become more stable at the back. The defeat in Hoffenheim was a slip-up they’ll want to make amends for and I’m sure Florian Kohfeldt will prepare his players accordingly.”

…his expectations of Friday’s match: “If we play like we have recently, I’m convinced we’ll get another win. If we drop off by just 10 per cent, every other result is possible.”

…being favourites: “As the team with the most points in 2021 we need to rise to the role. It’s exciting to see how we handle it - we’ve done that well recently. We’ve analysed the opponents, but I’m particularly interested in our own style of play.”

…team spirit: “Team spirit is defined by clear rules - respect and discipline on and off the pitch. It’s about how we put those buzzwords into practice. I like how the team takes care of things among themselves.”