FC St. Pauli

Johannes Eggestein on…

…facing his former club: "I'm looking forward to seeing some old companions. Not just players, but also members of staff. It's always nice to see people you once worked and had good times with. It's not just any old former club, either in footballing terms or with regard to the city of Bremen. I finished school and grew up there to a certain extent after joining the academy aged 15, so I have emotional ties to the club and the city unlike those I have with any other club."

…his expectations for the game: "Werder are much more stable these days, especially on the ball. You can clearly see the influence of [coach] Ole Werner. Being at home I think we'll have more possession and more attacking phases than we do away, so I'm expecting an open game. Werder are an established Bundesliga side, but I don't think we're that far apart. I feel we have a good chance of getting another home win."

…the help from his brother Maximilian during their time at Bremen: "I managed all right on my own as well, though obviously I benefited from having an older brother around with all his experience, both at youth and senior level. He was at the academy two years before me and really helped me. At the senior level there are unwritten rules you don't know about as a young player, so it's definitely a big help when you have a brother who can pass on his experience."

Johannes Eggestein (here under challenge from Marcel Sabitzer, then of Leipzig) made a total of 56 competitive appearances for Werder Bremen.

…Morgan Guilavogui's one-match ban: "It's a pity Morgan is out because he's been doing well and was on a roll. In general impression I think he's settled into the team now. We have a very good understanding both on and off the pitch. That said, I do think we have alternatives in that position. In the end it's up to the coach to decide. I don't think it'll be a system change. It's more likely another player will go into that position."

…Bremen's style of play: "Werder play high-intensity football, especially at the back. It resembles the way we try to play at times. They've become exceedingly good at it. It was already very unpleasant for us strikers when we played them in the friendly. Their positioning in possession is also very clever, with intelligent players who make excellent use of the space. It's fun to watch. I'll come down to our ability to find solutions on the ball. We'll discuss and work on the details in the week."

…shared rituals in the team and his goal celebration against Kiel: "An espresso tastes even better when we've played well at the weekend. We'd planned the celebration because Hauke [Wahl] and I like to drink an espresso together in the morning. We got an espresso machine at the training ground a year ago and now we have a room where we the lads can gather in the morning before the game or after one. It sparks conversations when you talk about the next game and the tactical approach, which adds to the sense of togetherness in the team."

Photos: Witters