There will be 5,000 Bremen fans in Istanbul and 7,000 supporters for Shakhtar Donetsk. The rest of the seats at Şükrü-Saracoğlu Stadium will be filled by Turks. But for...
There will be 5,000 Bremen fans in Istanbul and 7,000 supporters for Shakhtar Donetsk. The rest of the seats at Şükrü-Saracoğlu Stadium will be filled by Turks. But for...
There will be 5,000 Bremen fans in Istanbul and 7,000 supporters for Shakhtar Donetsk. The rest of the seats at Şükrü-Saracoğlu Stadium will be filled by Turks. But for whom will the other fans be cheering? "Us," said Werder's Mesut Özil. And why? "Because I am playing there." The people from Özil's parents' homeland will be crossing their fingers for the Bremen midfielder against Donetsk. "They will be proud of me," hopes Özil.
"It will depend on Mesut," said midfielder Torsten Frings, especially with Diego missing due to suspension. After a fantastic season, Özil is the top candidate to take over Bremen's creative central midfield spot in the UEFA Cup final. "I would rather have had Diego and Mesut harmonising together," said head coach Thomas Schaaf. "Now I hope that Mesut can crown his excellent season with this game."
By the way, it will be the first time that Özil plays at an Istanbul stadium. "I have played football with friends in Istanbul," he said - but never with a club or national team. But it's perfect that the game is at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. "I am a Fenerbahce fan, and as a child it was always my dream to play in that stadium," said Özil, who also is looking forward playing in front of friends and family members. "My family, my friends, the team and the coaching staff - everyone supported me and are behind me. And I would like to thank them with a good showing in Istanbul."
