Without a win since the beginning of November
Werder Bremen separates from coach Steffen
Updated 02/01/2026 – 10:22 amReading time: 2 minutes
Horst Steffen’s time at Werder Bremen ends after just a few months. The club is pulling the ripcord after a series of ten games without a win.
Horst Steffen is no longer the coach of Werder Bremen. The Hanseatic League announced this on Sunday, one day after the 1-1 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach. The 56-year-old only took over as coach in Bremen in the summer. However, the club has been in acute danger of relegation in recent months. Werder hasn’t won since the beginning of November. The team is now winless in ten games.
“It was a difficult decision, but we no longer have the conviction that Horst will be able to achieve the turnaround together with the team after this long series without a win,” said Werder’s managing director of football Clemens Fritz. “This realization is of course heavy, especially because we value Horst very much, but it is the result of the analysis of the sporting situation and the discussions we recently had.” That’s why they decided to release Steffen.
Steffen’s assistants Raphael Duarte and Christian Groß will initially take over as interim coaches. Fritz emphasized that they are actively looking for a new head coach. The club wants to “take the time necessary to find the best solution for Werder.”
On Saturday, Werder saved a last-minute draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Nevertheless, only one point separates the North Germans from the relegation zone. If Keke Topp hadn’t managed to equalize with a Sunday shot, Bremen would have already fallen into the relegation place.
Steffen trained SV Elversberg between 2018 and 2025. Last year, the small club from Saarland was sensationally almost promoted to the Bundesliga under his leadership. It was only in the relegation against 1. FC Heidenheim that Elversberg’s dream burst. In his first position in the German upper house, Steffen, who was born in Krefeld, failed much earlier – and with a bang.
After a decent start to the season, Werder has recently slipped further and further, including losing the prestigious derby against their direct competitor and arch-rival Hamburger SV in December. Ultimately, it’s not just Steffen who is responsible for Bremen’s misery. Managing director Fritz and professional football director Peter Niemeyer have long been criticized by fans. Recently, some followers even started a petition against Fritz. This has now collected more than 4,500 signatures. The reason for the criticism is primarily the club’s poor transfer policy.
