"The first match was a game that gave me great pleasure as a coach. It was end-to-end action. It was an evenly balanced match with high intensity, simply power football!" Striker Milena Nikolic levelled minutes after going behind before the Bosnia international turned the game round in favour of the Werkself Women at 2-1. Frankfurt levelled from the penalty spot in the last minute to claim a point.
The return match is on Friday night – and the Werkself Women currently have the upper hand. Eintracht on 18 points are two places and eight points behind the Black and Reds in seventh place although they have played two games less. So the cushion to the Eintracht Frankfurt Women ahead of the clash is big enough but it should be extended if possible. But Feifel is certain it will not be easy: "Frankfurt are absolutely a good Bundesliga team. They have the fourth best goal difference in the league – there's a difference of 12 goals between them and us and that says a lot. A strong opponent with lots of top international players. We will have to go to our absolute limits and beyond."
The Werkself Women can go into Friday night's game with confidence following three impressive performances in succession. However, Eintracht are also buoyant. A short, two-day quarantine last week due to a false positive coronavirus test for a player did not throw the team led by Niko Arnautis off course. Quite the contrary: In the DFB Cup quarter-finals last weekend, the team gained confidence with a 7-1 victory over second division SG 99 Andernach to secure a place in the last four.
"We have to approach the game as we did against Potsdam: with absolute conviction, assertiveness and be incredibly compact," said Feifel. "We have to close down space, give Frankfurt little room to manoeuvre, mount quick turnovers after winning possession and be clinical in front of goal." A very intense session on Wednesday was designed to work on those elements amongst others – Thursday brought a more relaxed final pre-match training session with Henrietta Csiszár again taking part.
The Hungarian returns to the squad after recovering from knee problems suffered in the Wolfsburg match. As does the recently suspended Milena Nikolic. Still sidelined are Sylwia Matysik and Viktoria Pinther (back problems). Verena Wieder is also ruled out – and the 20-year-old faces a longer period on the sidelines due to the need for an operation on her knee.
Friday night's home game is taking place under the motto #Morethanfootball. Football is more than just a game – as Bayer 04 have demonstrated this week as part of the #Morethanfootball Action Weeks together with 100 participants. Inclusion, participation and promoting social cohesion are just a small number of issues that are an intrinsic element of the Bayer 04 DNA.
Defender Nina Brüggemann is an ambassador for the #Morethanfootball Action Weeks and she explained: "Football is more than just a sport. It brings people together worldwide both on and off the pitch. The club Bayer 04 have sent out important messages on subjects such as equality, diversity and sustainability for many years. In the future, that has to be turned into social responsibility and developed further. We are #Morethanfootball.“
More information on the game, the two team squads, information on the matchday and an interview with Ann-Kathrin Vinken are available in the current Rasenreport magazine. HERE is the e-paper.
The Nerazzurri are in town: Today, Tuesday 10 December, Bayer 04 entertain the reigning champions of Italy Inter Milan on Matchday 6 in the UEFA Champions League (kick-off: 21.00 CET/live on DAZN and on Werkself Radio). Read on for the latest information on the home game at the BayArena.
Show moreThe Bayer 04 U19 team lost 1-0 to Inter Milan on the sixth and final matchday in the league phase of the UEFA Youth League 2024/25. The only goal of the game was scored just after the hour mark. While the side from North Italy have finished top in the league phase with a maximum points return, the Leverkusen team appeared to have just missed out on the knockout stages of the European competition. There is faint hope looking to several games to follow where results are needed to go the way of the Werkself.
Show moreItalian teams are known for being strong in defence. The fact that Inter Milan, the next opponents for the Werkself in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, 10 December (kick-off: 20.45 CET), have not conceded a single goal in their last five matches is impressive. Will the visitors' keeper Yann Sommer be able to keep a clean sheet at the BayArena against Florian Wirtz and Co.? The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show moreThe Werkself are away to Borussia Dortmund on Bundesliga Matchday 16. The game at the Signal Iduna Park on Friday, 10 January 2025, kicks off at 20.30 CET. Read on for information on ticket sales.
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