“We have the opportunity to make sure of finishing fifth through our own efforts and end the season with a win – that has to be our target in the last game of the season and that’s how we need to play,” demanded head coach Achim Feifel. Over the past two weeks, the 56-year-old has prepared his team for the last match against an opponent who will “be brutally physical and try everything to stay on the Bundesliga,” with competitive training and an internal friendly – he declared, “there will be no dawdling” before the summer break.
SC Sand will definitely be highly motivated with a victory at SV Meppen on the previous matchday setting them on course for the final game. The three points saw the team coached by Alexander Fischinger moving out of the drop zone and now staying up is their own hands. “They will give everything they’ve got,” Feifel is certain, “the coach has had an effect in recent weeks.” Fischinger took over the helm at the end of April in place of Nora Häuple, who was relieved of her role as coach at the relegation-threatened club.
For a number of players, such as Henrietta Csiszár, Pauline Machtens, Viktoria Pinther, Frederike Kempe and Selina Garofalo, it will be their last game in a Bayer 04 shirt on Sunday. “If it’s possible, I will try and play all the players who are leaving us,” said Feifel, but he does want to send the players who have had less time on the pitch due to injury “into the summer break feeling good. However, the impressions from training and performances will decide the team I send out onto the pitch and one that I believe can win the game. That is what the other teams who are still have something to play for will expect from us.”
There will be no more appearances in black and red for Isabel Kerschowski who leaves the Werkself for Potsdam in the new season. The 33-year-old has played in all this season’s matches to date – an ankle injury picked up in the game against FC Bayern two weeks ago keeps her out of the season finale at SC Sand. Ann-Kathrin Vinken also suffered an injury against the league leaders. Following the diagnosis of a torn syndesmosis ligament, she underwent a successful operation in the middle of the week. In addition to long-term injured players, Nina Brüggemann is ruled out with back problems.
Bayer 04 will broadcast the final Bundesliga match of the current season on the club’s YouTube channel. HERE is the link to the stream.
A group of journalists representing Latin American and Spanish-language media outlets visited the BayArena on Thursday for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Bayer 04 and interviews with key personnel that have driven the team’s brand to new heights internationally over the last few years.
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