The last six months did not go as planned for Jiri Pavlenka. A lengthy injury cost him a participation in the European Championship and his status as number 1 at Werder, which he has now regained – but what is the medium-term future for the Czech in Bremen? Probably not in the 2nd division.
For four years he was Werder’s undisputed regular keeper in the Bundesliga. But at the beginning of the current second division season, Jiri Pavlenka initially found himself on the bench.
Competitor Michael Zetterer, who had replaced him in the summer preparation due to persistent back problems (Pavlenka could “not walk, not move” in the meantime), was given preference by Markus Anfang, the now former Bremen coach. It was only after the 11th matchday that the latter was to change his mind once again, the Czech’s experience having spoken in favour of a change, the ex-coach reasoned at the time.
Not yet in top form
Since then, Pavlenka, who is now completely pain-free, has once again become Werder’s number one. The time on the bench was “not easy” for him; when he returned to the goal, he was even “nervous again” for the first time in a long time. He has now been back on the pitch four times for Werder. The 29-year-old has not yet played to nil and says that he has not yet shown his top form again: “I know that.”
How often he will have the opportunity to do so in Bremen is more questionable than ever. Pavlenka’s contract expires at the end of the season. It is no secret that the 14-time Czech national keeper was already a candidate for a transfer in the summer – if his injury had not proved so protracted. However, Werder would still have been able to collect a transfer fee at that time, which the financially strapped club would surely be reluctant to forgo in the case of a departure.
There may be contract talks again
At the moment, however, a transfer deal would only be possible in the winter transfer period. Such a possibility does not seem to be out of the question, especially since Pavlenka says he wants to focus “only on the last three games” until the winter break. Asked about a possible move after the first half of the season, he also replied on Wednesday: “I’ll have to see. Honestly, I don’t know what’s coming.” In any case, his contract extension in Bremen had not been a topic for a while, the keeper reported: “Maybe it’s time to talk about it again in January.”
A first exchange about a further cooperation from 2022 onwards had already taken place last summer. However, the talks had been stopped in the meantime due to Pavlenka’s reserve status. According to Werder’s head of professional football Clemens Fritz, he wanted to be shown a perspective in Bremen. With his return to the goal, this has improved in the meantime.
However, the perspective of the 2nd league, which is currently the assumption for the tenth-placed team in the table for next season, is apparently not enough for him. “We were very happy in Bremen,” said Pavlenka, mind you in past tense, “now it’s a bit more difficult after relegation.” Another year in the 2nd division, he could be so honest, “I can’t imagine. I hope that we get promoted and that everything will be fine again in Bremen”. With or without Pavlenka?
