Werder Brême serves beer and schnapps in friendly versus Real Madrid

Werder Brême’s legends faced Real Madrid’s veterans on Saturday at the Weserstadion’s centenary celebration, in front of 40,000 fans. The match, billed as anything but a “friendly for yellow‑bellied” affair, ended with a thrilling 4‑3 gala win for the home side.

Historic pause with beer and schnapps

At the 32nd minute the referee ordered a “freshness pause”, and an army of servers rolled onto the grass with a tray holding a glass of beer and another of schnapps. Pas un amical pour les foies jaunes, the organisers warned, and the pause lived up to the promise. The unusual intermission delighted the 40,000 spectators.

The home side’s legends shone, with Torsten Frings dictating play, Per Mertesacker commanding the defence, Angelos Charisteas finding the net and Ailton adding flair. Otto Rehhagel watched from the sidelines, his steady gaze never leaving the action. Their combined effort produced a jubilant 4‑3 finale.

The pause echoed a famous 1975 incident when referee Wolf‑Dieter Ahlenfelder, allegedly drunk, blew the halftime whistle at the 32nd minute before correcting his error. He later confessed to having drunk a beer‑schnapps combo, the Herrengedeck, before the match – a ritual now dubbed the Ahlenfelder in Bremen. The memory added a nostalgic layer to the evening.

Ailton relished the offer, preferring the schnapps over a water bottle during the break. The match concluded with Werder Brême’s legends edging Real Madrid’s veterans in a memorable gala victory.