'Live up to our own standards': Women ahead of Rückrunde opener against Freiburg

The fact the federal court of the German Football Association (DFB) has confirmed the replay of the match in Freiburg on 31 August – the rearranged date will be announced shortly – does not influence preparations for the Bayer 04 Women. "We can't influence it so we won't waste any energy on it," declared Pätzold: "The game coming up is important. The timing of the verdict does not change anything in our current position. We'll deal with the return match when it comes."

The 45-year-old coach prefers to focus on the recent performances of his team, who went top of the table briefly last Friday after the 1-0 win against runners-up VfL Wolfsburg and are now on a run of five wins in succession. "The Wolfsburg game was our best performance to date and crowns a very good Hinrunde and a very good development. Of course, everybody's waiting to see how we play the next game after that," said Pätzold: "The expectations on the team from outside have changed. We primarily want to live up to our own standards." For him the main thing is: "We have no reason to do things differently. We are where we are because we’ve worked very hard and been humble in the way we handle good performances. We'll do exactly the same in the last home game of the year."

To be as successful in the Rückrunde as in the Hinrunde, where his team only lost one game, he is relying on the same approach as before: "We want to offer the spectators, who we have gained with the exciting match against Wolfsburg, attacking football with great mentality and commitment," said Pätzold.

Freiburg make statement in Bremen

The visitors, who recently made a statement with a 3-0 win at Werder Bremen and are now three points behind the Werkself in fifth with 20 points, are, according to the coach, having a "really good season. They have a lot of quality in attack and can rely on individual actions in tight games. They have very quickly recovered from negative rogue results," said Pätzold: "We will focus on our own game to be successful," he is expecting "a match where both teams have chances and where the more clinical side will come out on top."

For the first time this season, he will have to manage without central defender Selina Ostermeier who is suspended after picking up a fifth yellow card in the Wolfsburg match. She did pick up her first booking in the earlier game against SC Freiburg but, unlike the goals and the result, the cards from the match remain in force as the DFB has confirmed. Sofia Cava Marin (cruciate), Vanessa Haim (back problem), Synne Skinnes Hansen and Paulina Bartz (both in rehab training) will also miss the last game of the year.

Tickets online and from matchday ticket office

Tickets for the big match are available here HERE from the Bayer 04 online shop or from the matchday ticket office tomorrow. The two streaming services MagentaSport and DAZN will broadcast the match live.

The Werkself Live matchday magazine is here: