Werder Bremen faces a real test: test match against title favorites Kickers Emden!

Werder Bremen faces a real test: test match against title favorites Kickers Emden!

On July 18, 2025, things are going well for SV Werder Bremen: The green-whites will face Kickers Emden on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the Ostfriesland Stadium. This game, the second test match of the pre-season, is not just about sporting ambition, but also an important assessment for coach Horst Steffen's team before their training camp begins in the Zillertal, which lasts from July 22nd to August 1st. Dike room reports that a light training session is planned the day before the game to avoid injuries.

In the last game, Leonardo Bittencourt didn't perform optimally when he was being treated for a muscle problem - his thigh continues to bother him. The list of missing players is long: Mitchell Weiser is battling a torn cruciate ligament, Marvin Ducksch has a calf injury, Jens Stage has a stress reaction in his foot and Justin Njinmah has a bruised foot. Olivier Deman is also out due to an ankle injury. A clear need for action for the coaching team!

Kickers Emden: A serious opponent

Kickers Emden performed well last season and finished in second place in the regional league, behind champions TSV Havelse. According to a survey by the specialist magazine “kicker”, the East Frisians are also clear favorites for the title in the Regionalliga Nord this season. The possibilities are great, because the regional league champions will be promoted directly to the 3rd league this season.

In the first encounter this season, the Kickers U23 beat Bremen 3-2. Another reason why the players around coach Horst Steffen should be warned. It will be exciting to see how the team performs in this test before things get serious. Fans can not only watch the game live in the stadium - the last 500 tickets in the guest block show the great interest - but also in the free live stream on WERDER.TV and the Green-Whites' YouTube channel. Sky Sport News HD will also broadcast the encounter. Werder.de offers a live ticker from 2:30 p.m.

Injury management in elite sport

Injuries and complaints are commonplace in top-level sport, as research by Jochen Mayer shows. According to Mayer, problematic behavior that can have long-term health consequences is particularly common in competitive sports. Athletes are often under pressure to train or actively participate in competition even when they are in pain and discomfort. This is done in the hope that everything will work out - a negligent strategy that often leads to chronic injuries. Feldhaus Publishing highlights the importance of sound injury management in order to keep athletes healthy in the long term.

The Werder players now have to make the right decisions: not to rush back into training too soon after injuries and to put their own health first. The current game situation will show whether the path under Horst Steffen is the right one and whether SV Werder Bremen can make another mark against Emden.