Many of the approximately 4,500 Werder fans were left somewhat baffled as they listened to the announcement of the Green-Whites starting eleven for the cup tie in Dortmund. Surely someone was missing – Diego!! The explanation was as simple as it was enlightening: "We knew that he wasn’t yet up to going 90 minutes at full tempo. That’s why we decided not to introduce him until later – we didn’t want to take any risks", commented Werder coach Thomas Schaaf after the match.
General manager Klaus Allofs was in equal support of the decision: "Diego had only played 45 minutes against Split and had, until very recently, been undergoing treatment in Brazil. It was absolutely the right decision", said Allofs who had sympathising words for the playmaker, who was introduced in the 68th minute and converted Werder’s first penalty, but saw Marc Ziegler in the BVB goal parry the second away. "Every great player has missed a penalty at some stage. That’s what happens when you take on responsibility."
"I would have like to have helped the team", remarked a disappointed Diego after the game, but the Brazilian received plenty of encouraging words from his team mates, who will be well aware that the Brazilian international will be all the more concentrated on this Sunday’s Bundesliga clash with VfL Bochum. Diego said: "We have five training sessions between now and Sunday – that’s enough time. Sitting on the bench and watching is just not for me."