'Top conditions' in Oliva Nova: Women return from winter training camp

The hard-fought 2-1 win against the ambitious second division side Union Berlin, who had their training camp in the same place, ended a sunny week full of hard work on the training ground. "Here, we have above all made progress in terms of the physical side and thanks to a late goal ended the week on a positive note," said coach Roberto Pätzold before the return flight to Germany. "Now we will recover well and prepare for Freiburg to build on the performances before the winter break."

The rearranged game from Matchday 1 in Freiburg on Sunday, 26 January (12.00 CET, Dreisamstadion) ends the three week's preparation for the second half of the season. At the spacious facilities at the Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Hotels, the Bayer 04 squad of 26 players worked hard almost 1,800 kilometres from home to create the basis for a successful second half of the season after the best Hinrunde in the club's history. The four U20 players Louisa Remien, Paula Schwartze, Jana Lindner and Kirkellis Lillemets were joined by Ruby Grant, just signed from BK Häcken, as she got to know her new teammates on and off the pitch.

With two sessions per day at times, Pätzold coached on a grass pitch a few minutes walk from the hotel with the focus on playing in possession. The team collected match practice in two friendlies against second division teams. Tuesday brought an "all-round successful friendly", as Pätzold said, in a 5-1 win against Villarreal: “We forced a very intense game on the opponents with a lot of successful pressing." Four days later, the Werkself had to put in more effort against Union Berlin but were rewarded with a late victory.

Pätzold: "focus on the basics"

Pätzold was positive in his assessment. "We had great weather and top conditions from the hotel facilities through to the training ground and the preparation and the follow-up. The training sessions were really good, the players focused on the basics and worked very well individually between the training sessions," he said. Cornelia Kramer, Synne Skinnes Hansen, Estrella Merino Gonzalez and U20 new signing Kirkeliis Lillemets missed the final friendly due to knocks. "You could see the strain of the workload but that's normal at a training camp," said Pätzold. "We didn't want to take any risks. Apart from that, we were able to work the players very well and implement our planned content."

In addition to a games night and a team workshop during the week, there was a change of scenery on Wednesday with a day trip to Valencia some 70 kilometres away. The players explored the Mediterranean city in small groups under blue skies. Until the middle of the week, they enjoyed sunshine on the Costa del Azahar in Oliva before the rain set in. For the start of the Union friendly, there was then the best weather for football on the training ground again.

one week to the restart

Back home, the final week of the winter preparations starts on Tuesday after a day off. With a win in the rearranged match in Freiburg, the Bayer 04 Women could draw level with league leaders Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich (both on 29 points). A week later the opponents on Matchday 13 are Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday, 31 January (kick-off: 18.30 CET). The full winter timetable is HERE.