Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf has no reason to make any connections between the up-coming Bundesliga game against 1. FC Köln on Sunday, 3 May 2009 at 5 p.m. and the 1-0 loss against Hamburg...
Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf has no reason to make any connections between the up-coming Bundesliga game against 1. FC Köln on Sunday, 3 May 2009 at 5 p.m. and the 1-0 loss against Hamburg...
Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf has no reason to make any connections between the up-coming Bundesliga game against 1. FC Köln on Sunday, 3 May 2009 at 5 p.m. and the 1-0 loss against Hamburg. "No we don’t need any response of defiance," said the coach hours after Werder’s loss in the UEFA Cup semi-final first leg. Instead he expects that his team will learn its lesson from the last two games. "We have to get to the point where we call up our top game for a full 90 minutes," said the coach. Bremen will need to show up for more than just the second half like they did against Bochum and last Thursday against Hamburg.
Bremen also want to find a positive end to a mainly disappointing Bundesliga season. Still, it would not be a surprise if head coach Thomas Schaaf rests some of his heavily used players for the game in Cologne. "The impressions from Saturday’s practice will make the decision, but everything is possible," said the coach. Hugo Almeida was the only sure player who came out of the Hamburg game injured after suffering a open wound to his heel. Should he take part in the final training then he will be travelling to the Rhine Land.
Christoph Daum’s Cologne side meanwhile have had real problems in their home RheinEnergie-Stadion, not winning in their last eight home games since November. And that should give a boost to Werder, who have struggled this season on the road – zero victories in the last 11 games. Bremen also have a strong recent past against 1.FC Köln, not losing in their last 11 matches against them since 1998. The all-time record however is quite balanced with each team winning 30 of the 77 all-time encounters with 17 draws.
