Bremen – His own claim is clear: Leonardo Bittencourt would like to be a leading player at Werder Bremen, one that the younger colleagues can use for orientation – and one who is always on the pitch. The 27-year-old was accordingly surprised when that suddenly stopped being the case at the beginning of the year.
In an online media round of the SV Werder Bremen Bittencourt explained on Wednesday how he dealt with the pause for thought prescribed by coach Florian Kohfeldt – and why he gave the right answer in his eyes. Bittencourt also commented on a number of other topical issues. Leonardo Bittencourt over…
… the reserve role at Werder Bremen:
One thing in advance: his Regular place at Werder Bremen Bittencourt has been back for two Bundesliga games. Both against Hertha (4: 1) and against Schalke (1: 1) he was on the pitch for 90 minutes, and the fact that he did not play in the DFB Cup against Greuther Fürth (2: 0) can be under “was protected ”. “I think that in the games against Berlin and Schalke I showed the coach that I belong in the team,” says Leonardo Bittencourtwho has not forgotten the two games previously as a bench press (against Leverkusen and Augsburg). “I was surprised,” he explains looking back. When the midfielder got a new chance against Hertha, “I took advantage of it and showed that so many others were rightly surprised.” You can say that after an assist plus own goal including a wonderful pirouette.
… the return of Niclas Füllkrug to Werder Bremen:
Strictly speaking, it is currently his worst competitor who is about to make a comeback – leading by four goals each Leonardo Bittencourt and Niclas Füllkrug added the internal scorer list Werder Bremen at. About the fact that the center forward will probably already be in the home game against the Sc freiburg (3:30 p.m.) is back on the pitch, Bittencourt is of course happy anyway: “Niclas has only made seven games and has already scored four goals, everyone knows his quality.”
Just like Davie Selke, who is also fit again, Füllkrug is “a boxing player who knows where the goal is”. If a ball falls down in the penalty area, “they are both there because they have a nose for it”. The comeback of Füllkrug and Selke also had an impact on Bittencourt’s playing style. “With them we have the option of playing a few longer balls in the last few minutes,” he says as one of the professionals who can deliver these passes into the striker.
… about the next Werder Bremen opponent SC Freiburg:
Stand eleven times Leonardo Bittencourt in his career in the Bundesliga already against the Sc freiburg on the field – so he had enough opportunities to get a comprehensive picture of the upcoming Bremen opponent. “Freiburg is very uncomfortable, like every year,” says Bittencourt. Although his personal record against the Breisgauer is positive with five wins and three draws and three defeats, his respect could hardly be greater.
“As a team, you invest a lot and always stand together,” says the pro SV Werder Bremen and also pays tribute to the Freiburg makers: “Every year they lose important players, but they still get a team that is one unit.” Bittencourt expects an “exciting duel” on Saturday and emphasizes with all due respect for the opponent : “We know how to crack it.”
… vaccination in times of the corona pandemic:
Bayern Munich’s CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently publicly suggested that football professionals could possibly be vaccinated against the corona virus prematurely in order to increase the willingness of the population to vaccinate through their role model function. An idea for which the 65-year-old got a lot of headwind. After all, the vaccine is still scarce and not even the group with the highest priority (including those over 80 and nurses) has been fully vaccinated.
Also Leonardo Bittencourt can’t do much with the proposal from Munich. “First of all, the people for whom it is vital should be vaccinated,” he says and refuses preferential treatment for footballers: “We are privileged enough to be allowed to play. I don’t stand up and say: I would like to be vaccinated. ”In order to increase the general willingness to vaccinate in the population, there are other ways than the soccer role models. Bittencourt even believes that Rummenigge’s plan for the industry could backfire: “To say now: We as footballers are going ahead, that would just not go down well.” (Dco)
Topic image: © gumzmedia
–
