In the end, a whole six minutes were missing to start the new season with a win as a promoted team – and that away at VfL Wolfsburg. It was thanks to Josuha Guilavogui, who scored in the 84th minute, that it was still enough to make it 2-2 against a good Werder Bremen team.

In the aftermath, the game was only a marginal aspect, at least on the Werder side. The talks were much more about the use of the police in the run-up to the game at Wolfsburg’s main station. Werder officials criticized the actions of the officials against Bremen Ultras and were disappointed with the control measures. “I do not get it. I don’t know who decided that and I don’t know who wanted to do that, but I think it’s cheeky,” said professional football manager Clemens Fritz.

Before the game in the Bundesliga, several ultras had found the searches and personal details of the officials disproportionate, had not shown up for the game in protest and, according to the club, had made their way back to Bremen. The Wolfsburg police referred to the need for searches to avert danger.

Werder tweeted that the departure of the Ultras represented “a clear competitive disadvantage” for the game. Fritz said that it had actually been agreed with Wolfsburg beforehand that the game posed no risk. “Encircling our fans, searching them at the train station and wanting to take personal details. I mean: nobody did anything.” In the past few years, the duel had “always been quiet”. “I don’t understand,” he added.

Coach Ole Werner was disappointed: “It’s definitely a pity that our ultras weren’t there. Hopefully next week will be even nicer,” he said of the first home game of the season against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday (3:30 p.m. / Sky). The coach was also happy about the Bremen supporters who were there in the Volkswagen Arena. “That certainly shows what power the club has and we will need it again this year.”