Werder Bremen lost 1-0 away to VfB Stuttgart, with Niclas Füllkrug failing to score. The striker will return to the Germany national team for the first time in more than a year.
Werder suffer second defeat
Werder Bremen suffered their second defeat of the season in Stuttgart.
Mittelstädt strikes in the seventh minute
Maximilian Mittelstädt scored Stuttgart's winner with a powerful left-footed shot in the seventh minute. Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth told Sky: “That was an important foundation and the decisive duel, which Jeff won.”
Füllkrug discusses the second half
Sky pundit Lothar Matthäus said: “When a Werder Bremen centre-forward has 70 touches in a match, you know how the game went, especially in the second half. I've never heard of a figure like that for a centre-forward.”
Matthäus also said: “I really enjoyed watching how Niclas played in the second half, how he collected the ball, held it up and looked for better-placed team-mates. Watching Werder Bremen in the second half, that was modern football.”
Füllkrug said: “You could deal with it quite cleverly. If you showed for the ball early in the half-space, you gave him a problem: should he come out with you or not? I felt he struggled with that a little. In the end, I kept hold of a lot of balls, most of them, in fact. Of course, he pulls and tugs and tries everything.”
The 33-year-old said: “We were much braver in the second half and had enough chances to score a goal. I'm still proud of my team. Brilliant bunch.”
Füllkrug receives Germany call-up
Germany coach Jürgen Klopp called Füllkrug up for Nations League matches against Serbia on 13 November and the Netherlands three days later.
The veteran said: “My mind is still fully on this match. I'm not yet thinking about going to the national team next week, so I'm not really looking forward to it yet. Jürgen Klopp has, of course, given it some thought. He discussed everything with me very openly and fairly, and communicated it early, too. It was always a very pleasant exchange. Of course I'm looking forward to it, and we'll see what happens.”
