The Bremen women have had an outstanding season so far under their new coach Friederike “Fritzy” Kromp. They are also starting the coming year ambitiously.
The end of the year didn’t go as hoped with the 3-0 defeat at SC Freiburg. Nevertheless, the Werder women can look back on a very successful year in 2025. In May, completely unexpectedly, they found themselves in the DFB Cup final in Cologne – which they lost 2-4. Now they are spending the winter in third place in the Bundesliga. This would entitle you to take part in the Champions League qualifying games at the end of the season.
“It’s unbelievable that we’re in this position in the table. It makes us really happy,” says coach Friederike “Fritzy” Kromp in an interview with buten un binnen. In the summer she came to Werder as the successor to Thomas Horsch. The move to the Weser was still the right step for them.
There hasn’t been a day that I’ve regretted it. I am very happy here.
(Werder coach Friederike “Fritzy” Kromp)
Kromp hopes for more games in the Weser Stadium
Kromp previously coached Eintracht Frankfurt’s U20s. The Bremen women are her first stop as head coach in the Bundesliga. Although she had “huge respect” for the task at Werder, she still approached it with confidence.
In her first six months at Werder, the 40-year-old was able to celebrate emotional victories. A highlight was of course the northern derby, including many “goose house moments” in the Weser Stadium, which Bremen won 2-0 against Hamburger SV in front of 37,000 spectators.
That was very special. I already knew this would happen. I was really happy that this was coming to us. I couldn’t really imagine it because I haven’t experienced anything like it myself.
(Werder coach Friederike “Fritzy” Kromp)
Werder’s 11th place is “obviously the worst venue in the league”
Otherwise, the home games are not as festive as the Northern Derby. And that despite the fact that Werder hasn’t lost a single one of the seven games at home so far. However, Kromp makes no secret of the fact that the conditions for her team are a handicap. While many other women’s teams in the Bundesliga play in modern stadiums, Werder, in 11th place, is currently at home on a construction site.
There’s no need to make a secret of it: This is a venue that is obviously the worst in the league. You can say that so openly.
(Werder coach Friederike “Fritzy” Kromp)
The players currently have to change in containers. This also causes problems when activating it before home games. Kromp hopes that Bremen will be able to play more often in the Weser Stadium in the future. For example, in the event of a possible semi-final in the DFB Cup at the beginning of April.
Can Werder stay in the fight for the Champions League until the end?
Before that, the Bremen team has to prevail against SGS Essen in the quarter-finals. Kromp is clear that only two wins are needed to reach the final again. In the league, she also makes no secret of her goals. From their point of view, Werder has “developed into a top team”. After all, the table after 13 match days, half of the season, is definitely meaningful.
It’s still a very close race. Nevertheless, we are now clearly ahead. Something is currently changing in the team in terms of their own perception and self-image.
(Werder coach Friederike “Fritzy” Kromp)
Winter training camp in Spain
Nevertheless, the trainer explains, the Bremen women have to remain humble. After all, clubs that are currently behind Werder in the table simply have other options in terms of squad depth, budget and infrastructure.
But Werder wants to seize the opportunity: For the first time in their history, the team is going to a winter training camp: Before the home game against 1. FC Nürnberg starts again on January 25th (2 p.m.), the team will complete a training camp in Oliva Nova, Spain, from January 11th to 17th in order to prepare themselves as best as possible for the tasks ahead.
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