The Werder players are determined to break the clubs duck. Since their return to the Champions League in 2004, the Green-Whites have never managed a win in their opening game of the competition...
The Werder players are determined to break the clubs duck. Since their return to the Champions League in 2004, the Green-Whites have never managed a win in their opening game of the competition...
The Werder players are determined to break the clubs duck. Since their return to the Champions League in 2004, the Green-Whites have never managed a win in their opening game of the competition. This time around they have the chance to take those elusive opening day points against Famagusta: “We need to make a good start if we are to achieve our goals. It’s not enough for us to hear that we are a team with potential, we need to make use of that potential,” commented Per Mertesacker following the final pre-match training session, and in doing so he spoke for the whole team.
Clemens Fritz is also longing for a successful campaign opener: “We definitely want to make to the second round this year at all costs. Last year we threw away the opportunity, so we want to do things differently this time around.” Head coach Thomas Schaaf: “We want to take a new run at it and we are starting from zero. We need to give ourselves a boost now.”
Werder midfielder Daniel Jensen is convinced that the team is well capable of doing that: “We are all delighted to be in the competition again. The Champions League is the ultimate! We can take a look at the other teams in our group and see that we have a chance to do something special this time around. We respect our opponents but we believe in our own qualities. Werder Bremen have taken particular notice of the results achieved by the Cypriots in qualifying for the Champions League: “They managed to qualify through three rounds and, in doing so, deserve to be in the Champions League. The fact that they beat Olympiakos, a side that turned us over last year, gives an indication of the quality of their team,” noted Thomas Schaaf.
The following group of 18 players took up residence at the ‘Bremer Parkhotel’ on Monday evening:
Tim Wiese, Christian Vander; Sebastian Boenisch, Naldo, Frank Baumann, Jurica Vranjes, Clemens Fritz, Markus Rosenberg, Diego, Mesut Özil, Sebastian Prödl, Boubacar Sanogo, Daniel Jensen, Torsten Frings, Hugo Almeida, Claudio Pizarro, Per Mertesacker, Martin Harnik
