Hradecky back in training

With the Werkself being the clear favourites, Kevin Volland sounded a warning against underestimating the opposition: “We made it difficult for ourselves last season at Karlsruher SC. And the year before against Lotte, we saw what can happen if you’re not 100 per cent up for it. So we know exactly what to expect.”

Quartet RETURN, Aránguiz trains on his own 

At least there was some good news on the personnel front on Thursday: In the morning session, both Lars and Sven Bender plus Lucas Alario and Paulinho were on the training ground again after spending yesterday working in the facilities at the BayArena due to slight knocks or regulating their workload. And Lukas Hradecky also joined his team-mates on the way from the dressing room to the training ground for the first time since the operation on his jaw. After a warm-up session together, the Finn first took the role as a spectator before completing an individual session wearing a protective mask. “It will take some time before I’m fully back up to speed and after the examinations in the week we’ll see if we can up the work rate,” said Hradecky after the final open training session the week, which saw Heiko Herrlich once again focus on practising moves and finishing. The boss is still without the services of Joel Pohjanpalo (ankle), Panos Retsos (thigh), Leon Bailey (cold) and Charles Aránguiz (knee), who is now working with fitness coach Daniel Jouvin on the training ground.

'we have to do our homework' 

It is clear Hradecky is at home in the Cup as he demonstrated this year with his former club Eintracht Frankfurt. The Cup winner had some advice for his new team-mates: “I told them you can’t afford to underestimate any team. Pforzheim will do all they can to beat us. But the lads are well aware of the task and I’m sure will go through to the second round.” That is also Volland’s target. “We’re really looking forward to the game – also because we’re finally getting going again after a hard pre-season. We are all very focused after the Valencia game and we know what’s coming – Pforzheim won’t make it easy for us. But if we do our homework on the pitch then we’ll win the game,” said the 26-year-old.

The Werkself will train behind closed doors tomorrow before the Bayer 04 squad heads south in the early afternoon.