A device is provided for the removal of water from a web by hot-pressing while the web is in direct contact with a heated cylinder face. The web is passed, while being supported by a press fabric, through at least two separate press stages. The web is first passed into direct contact with the heated cylinder face and into an extended-nip press stage. At the beginning of the extended-nip press stage, a press-glide belt is passed into contact with the press fabric. The press-glide belt is pressed by means of a press member in the extended-nip stage against the heated cylinder face. This press-glide belt is separated from the fabric and the web is passed to the next stage where the web is pressed against a cylinder face only by means of the tension of the press fabric. After this latter stage, the web is passed to an intensive roll-nip pressing stage, through a roll-nip which is formed between the hot cylinder and a hollow-faced press roll. In this stage, water is removed from the web into the press fabric and into the hollow face of the press roll. The press fabric is separated from the web, which is then detached from the face of the hot cylinder.