Bundesliga is back: Bremen boss Kohfeldt backed by Baumann to lead survival push

Werder Bremen boss Florian Kohfeldt has received a timely vote of confidence as he bids to lift the Bundesliga mainstays away from relegation danger.

Bremen have played in the German top flight since 1981-82 but their status is under severe threat after just four wins in their opening 24 matches of this season.

They sit 17th in the 18-team league heading into Monday's home fixture against fifth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and have 10 games in which to save themselves.

Frank Baumann, the club's sporting director, stressed the players have the quality to survive, and he said: "What I said about the team applies especially to the coach.

"I am convinced of him. I am convinced that he is, with his quality and his work, absolutely the right coach for this team, for this situation and for this club."

Kohfeldt, 37, has spent two and a half years in charge at Bremen, having succeeded Alexander Nouri.

#Kohfeldt:

"It definitely doesn't feel like a cup final. With ten games left we still have almost a third of the season ahead of us. The match is a great chance for us to close the gap and put pressure on the teams above us. We really want to win." #werder #SVWB04 pic.twitter.com/9MiwyDgxcX
— SV Werder Bremen EN () (@werderbremen_en) May 17, 2020

Bremen have been hit with a coronavirus blow after a player, who has not been named by the club, was counted out of their immediate plans due to a close relative testing positive for COVID-19.

The player has had to isolate as a result, and Baumann said: "I wasn't completely surprised that it is possible that a family member could get an infection of COVID-19.

"We immediately informed the public health department. Family members of players could get tested voluntarily, and many of them did that. That way the infection could be discovered very fast.

"The measures that were prescribed by the health department could be taken very fast as well. The family went into quarantine.

"The most important thing is that the person concerned is feeling okay. And because of the negative test of the player, it won't affect us. That's very positive."