For the first leg tie against SC Braga in the round of the last 32 teams in the UEFA Cup (Wednesday, 8:30pm), Werder coach Thomas Schaaf is leaving the final selection of the squad open until the last possible minute.
For the first leg tie against SC Braga in the round of the last 32 teams in the UEFA Cup (Wednesday, 8:30pm), Werder coach Thomas Schaaf is leaving the final selection of the squad open until the last possible minute.
For the first leg tie against SC Braga in the round of the last 32 teams in the UEFA Cup (Wednesday, 8:30pm), Werder coach Thomas Schaaf is leaving the final selection of the squad open until the last possible minute. Schaaf is still waiting to see if Boubacar Sanogo has recovered from the strain of travelling back from the Africa Cup of Nations, if Hugo Almeida, who was allowed some time off on personal grounds, will be available again and who shall replace the injured Petri Pasanen. To be on the safe side, the coach took a group of 20 players to the team hotel.
For the first time since his groin operation in December, German international Clemens Fritz rejoins his teammates but a decision as to whether or not he will be included in the definitive 18 man squad will not be made until after the teams final short training session on Wednesday. At the same time the coach will know if Ivan Klasnic has sufficiently recovered from his foot injury and stomach bug ro play a part.
Regardless as to who should be selected, the trainer is demanding “Full concentration” from his team: “The last couple of rounds in the UEFA Cup have shown that you have to be playing at the very highest level if you want to be successful.” Schaaf’s players agree and believe they have just the recipe to beat the Portuguese side: “We’ve got to get them working so hard that they lose the will to play the game”, explained Patrick Owomoyela.
