Central defender Marco Friedl only stays with Werder Bremen in the event of promotion

“Kicker” report

“Marco has actually developed every season and has become much more consistent,” Frank Baumann is quoted as saying about Marco Friedl’s personnel on Thursday in “Kicker”. Appreciative words from the Werder managing director, which one could not have imagined about eight months ago – but given the Austrian’s development, they are completely justified. The 24-year-old recently took the path from strike professional to sporting top performer and undisputed regular player on the Weser. (To the news archive: Friedl wants to force Werder’s farewell) Whether Friedl has a future in Bremen beyond the summer is an open question: The player is keeping a low profile, according to the magazine staying is only conceivable in the event of promotion.

The sporting statistics of the central defender speak for themselves: apart from the game in Heidenheim and injury-related absences, the three-time Austrian international was always in the starting lineup at Werder. Along with Ömer Toprak, Friedl is the strongest professional in tackle and headers in coach Ole Werner’s squad, and together with Romano Schmid is the third-best scorer behind the strike duo Niclas Füllkrug and Marvin Ducksch. The left-footer has “benefited from being able to learn a lot” from his experienced team-mate Toprak in recent months, according to Baumann, who attests Friedl to have developed into a “modern central defender”.

Werder defender Friedl: “I’m trying to take responsibility”

Toprak’s contract expires at the end of the season, the future of the 32-year-old is still unclear. Baumann also believes that Friedl would have what it takes to replace the former Turkish international as head of defense – he knows “that Marco plays a more important role in the team structure than it has in the last two years.” As of now, the native is Alongside youngster Fabio Chiarodia, Kirchbichler is the only regular central defender in Werder’s squad for the coming season.

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“I’m trying to take responsibility,” says the professional himself. According to “Kicker” information, however, staying on the Weser is only conceivable in the event of promotion. Friedl wants to underpin his national player status with regular appearances in the top divisions, and despite the strike escapades last year, the 24-year-old is still popular beyond the borders of Germany. In addition to Union Berlin and FC Augsburg, Serie A club FC Bologna were also interested last summer.

Friedl himself keeps a low profile about his future. “I’m one hundred percent here, I want to get promoted with the club,” he announced in a media round during the week: “What will happen in the summer – I don’t have a head for that, I don’t even think about how it will be then looks. I haven’t thought about it for a second.”

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