Werder Bremen: Zetterer is the new No. 1 – Pavlenka replaced for the time being

Pavlenka replaced for the time being

Michael Zetterer has initially replaced Jiri Pavlenka as number one at Werder Bremen. The 28-year-old was between the posts for the Green-Whites for the fifth time in a row in the 3-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen. Initially, in the last few weeks, as a replacement for the injured Pavlenka – but against the “Werkself” he was allowed to stay in goal.

“The decision has now been made. Of course you don’t change the goalkeeper position week after week because that won’t get you anywhere. As a goalkeeper there is also a certain level of security, a backing that you have to have,” explained Werder’s head of professional football Clemens Fritz (quoted via “Dike room“). Zetterer moved from Unterhaching to the Weser at the beginning of 2015 for 100,000 euros, and in the meantime he was on loan for Austria Klagenfurt and PEC Zwolle. The Munich native has made 19 appearances for the Bremen professionals with a contract until 2025, in which he conceded 30 goals and kept five clean sheets.

“I have unbelievable goosebumps right now,” Zetterer said after the game. “I’ve said it a few times in interviews. For me, Werder is not just a football club or a job where I earn money. For me it’s just much more, for me Werder has become home, and that’s an incredibly nice feeling.” User “RuhigBrauner” wrote in the Bundesliga club’s TM forum about the goalkeeper change: “I’m still skeptical, but not at all because of the last appearances. I hope he can keep the zero one day – congratulations ‘Zetti’.”

Competitor Pavlenka, whose contract ends earlier than expected in 2024, will first have to watch from the outside. The 31-year-old, who came from Slavia Prague for 3 million euros in 2017, has played 221 games for SVW (345 goals conceded; 44 clean sheets). A transfer in the winter could potentially make him a better candidate for a place in goal for the Czech national team. “Things can happen quickly in football. It’s not an issue for us at the moment,” said Fritz (quoted via “Picture“).

To home page