K & K Knock-Out For Duisburg Tie

Ivan Klasnic, still not fit after appendix operation
First Team
Friday, 02.12.2005 / 06:55

When MSV Duisburg take to the pitch on Saturday, 03.12.2005, to play Werder Bremen, two very different worlds will collide. The 'Green-White' goal machine meet the leagues weakest attack. Werders 39 goals compared to MSV's twelve.

When MSV Duisburg take to the pitch on Saturday, 03.12.2005, to play Werder Bremen, two very different worlds will collide. The 'Green-White' goal machine meet the leagues weakest attack. Werders 39 goals compared to MSV's twelve.

 

Still, within the Werder ranks it is clear that the statistics are no reason for arrogance. Considering their programme until now, the newly promoted side have done well but have, not unexpectedly, have drawn the short straw in recent away games at the Bundesligas top clubs (Bayern Munich 0:4, Schalke 0:3 and Hamburg 0:2). At home the 'Zebras' have proven much stronger, marking up two wins against Nuremburg (1:0) and Wolfsburg (1:0). Last weekends scheduled home clash with Cologne was postponed until December 6th due to unplayable pitch and icy stadium conditions.

 

Klose and Klasnic still out of action

 

Recent action packed and goal packed games at the Weser stadium (Nuremburg 6:2, Frankfurt (4:1) and Wolfsburg (6:1) leave expectations around Bremen naturally high, for which trainer Thomas Schaaf has a deal of understanding: "That's o.k. After all we want to put on another good performance, strong up front and minimise the mistakes we've been making at the back." Thomas Schaaf must once again make do without his ever so consistant duo of Klose and Klasnic in attack. Both have returned to light jogging after injury but neither is fit enough to take part against Duisburg. Aside from the K&K strike force, Torsten Frings will also have to sit out the tie after he picked up a red card last Saturday at Schalke: "We expect to once again have a 16 man squad to choose from", explained Schaaf.

 

Pasanen and Lagerbloom back in the reckoning

 

Part of this squad will be made up by the Finnish duo of Pekka Lagerbloom and Petri Pasanen. Questionable is the participation of Brazilian Naldo who was forced to pull out of training on Thursday with a shoulder injury. Up front Schaaf has the option of pairing Nelson Valdez with 19 year old Aaron Hunt but the possibility is still open for Schaaf of spearing with just one out and out striker. There is no doubt though that Werder will face a compact MSV defence: "Norbert Meier made the switch from a flat back four to a three man defence and has instilled more stability at the back with the move", in Schaaf's opinion.

 

Aside from the Duisburg coach who between 1981 and 1989 played 242 Bundesliga games for Werder, the home fans will also be reunited with ex-Werder right back Razundara Tjikuzu. The 25 year old Namibian, who was on the Weser from 1996 until 2002, is momentarily on his way to securing a place in the first eleven at his new club.

 

For those as yet without a ticket, press officer Tino Polseter announced that there are still 1,500 tickets available for the home area of the Weser Stadium.

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