Jens Stage set to miss the start of the season for Werder Bremen | OneFootball

It’s been an odd summer at Werder Bremen, and unfortunately they were dealt some bad news yesterday afternoon.

According to a report from DeichStube, star midfielder Jens Stage, who is currently dealing with a stress fracture in his foot, is not expected to return to training anytime soon. That means he’ll not only miss the season opener in the DFB Pokal against Arminia Bielefeld, but he’ll also miss the first game of the Bundesliga campaign away to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Danish international picked up the injury during Bremen’s first preseason contest, a 6-0 win over German amateur outfit Verden 04. It feels strange that a player like him was featuring in a match like this, but since it was the initial summer friendly, plenty of first-choice names were in the starting lineup.

Werder and Stage both just caught an unlucky break, and now they’re going to suffer once the competitive fixtures roll around. As a result, new manager Horst Steffen will have to find a replacement for him in the teamsheet.

What’s next?

He will need to choose a new center-midfielder to play alongside Senne Lynen in front of the backline. Based on the personnel currently at the club, he’s got two main options.

If he wants someone with plenty of top-flight experience, then the coach will turn to Leonardo Bittencourt. The German was utilized a ton off the bench over the last few years, and he brings passion and leadership to the field whenever he comes on, plus some added attacking talent. The issue with him in this role is that he’s not a great defender, and he can’t run as much as he used to.

If Steffen prefers defensive solidity and the ability to cover large areas of the field, then Skelly Alvero is his man. The 23-year-old found time on the pitch hard to come by last season, but a new manager might be exactly what he needs to turn his Bremen career around. His length makes him a real presence in the middle of the park, and he’s technical enough to dribble by an opponent or pick out a pass if need be. Whether he can be trusted for that responsibility remains to be seen, and his selection would be a risk.

There are other ways the gap can be filled, but it’ll probably be one of those two starting on opening day.

Whoever gets the nod, they’ll have to be ready to go. Bielefeld were cup finalists last year, while Eintracht Frankfurt once again have European aspirations. It’s going to be a trial by fire, and if any players fail to step up the entire team could struggle.

Bremen will hope Stage will be ready to go by the end of the month, but that's not a guarantee at the moment.