Werder keeper Mio Backhaus sets season’s best number of saves

Youngster remains number 1

Werder Bremen’s performance in the 2-2 (0-0) draw in Heidenheim was once again one of the weaker sorts, and their performances this season remain fluctuating. A positive highlight was the performance of goalkeeper Mio Backhaus, who showed his best game of the season and justified why he was preferred over Karl Hein, who was in a good mood recently.

With ten saves, Backhaus set a new league record this season and drove the Heidenheim offensive players to the brink of despair, especially in the first half. “He was almost everywhere today and defused a lot of situations,” said FCH head coach Frank Schmidt after the game about the Bremen keeper, who was powerless against the goals from Stefan Schimmer (67th) and Jonas Föhrenbach (83rd). In the Bundesliga’s latest market value update, Backhaus jumped from 2 million to 4 million euros.

The fact that Werder have already conceded 16 goals this season – the second-worst defense in the league – somewhat belies the Green-Whites’ good goalkeeping performance. Arsenal loanee Hein had stood in goal for Backhaus, who had a shoulder injury, at FC Bayern (0:4) and against FC St. Pauli (1:0) and was also impressive. Nevertheless, the 21-year-old homegrown player remains number one, Werder coach Horst Steffen made clear before the game.

“He stood his ground, it was good that he was there for the team,” he praised after the game in which Backhaus was voted player of the game. “But I’m not overestimating it because it’s a performance that I can expect from him. He did well, but it also says that we weren’t that good if he won Man of the Match.”