After a break of several weeks, Leonardo Bittencourt is hoping for a comeback soon. Werder’s creative players left it open whether it would be enough against Gladbach on Saturday. When it came to Niclas Füllkrug and the national team, he became clearer.
Leonardo Bittencourt got off to a strong start to the season with two goals in the first four Bundesliga matchdays. After his goal against Eintracht Frankfurt, the attacking midfielder had to leave the field early on. The 28-year-old injured his ribs. A quick comeback prevented bone edema that had formed on the rib.
Bittencourt had therefore missed the last three games. After the international break, he was able to get back into team training. Werder’s eights did not have too high hopes of a return on Saturday evening in the home game against Gladbach – at least for the starting eleven. “The rib is not 100 percent good yet,” he said on Thursday. “I couldn’t do anything for the first two weeks. It was tough,” Bittencourt continued.
Despite everything, he is full of energy. It “particularly hurts not being allowed to take part” because the team plays “really good football” which is “fun”, stressed Bittencourt.
As a result, he should not be in the starting XI against the Foals, but at least hope for a squad comeback. Bittencourt believes that sooner or later he will be part of the regular formation again: “When I’m fit again, I’m pretty sure I’ll play again.”
With this assessment he is probably right. The technically gifted offensive man found it even more difficult to play to his qualities in league two. He should soon be set again on the eight – also because in his absence no colleague could particularly recommend himself. Newcomer Jens Stage is still struggling a little with his performance. The other candidates are called above all Romano Schmid and Niklas Schmidt. On the last day of the game, coach Ole Werner relied on the actual six Ilia Gruev in Leverkusen.
Niclas Füllkrug, on the other hand, was able to recommend himself in the course of the season so far. Werder’s top scorer has already scored five goals after seven games. After the recent performances of the DFB-Elf, the demand for a “gap” in the national dress is getting louder.
Bittencourt agrees: “He definitely has the quality and the numbers speak for him. That’s all there is to say. Abundance brings everything with him, and above all he embodies a type of striker that doesn’t come around that often anymore , at least not in Germany”, was his clear plea for Füllkrug to take part in the World Cup.
Further goals until the World Cup break in mid-November should underpin this. “If we continue to play successfully with him until the winter break, abundance will also get a piece of the pie,” said Bittencourt. Soon it will be up to him again to “feed” the goalscorer on duty.
This article was originally published on 90min.com/de as Bittencourt leaves Werder’s comeback open – and advocates filling jugs in the DFB team.
