Vranjes Meets His Master

First Team
Tuesday, 07.02.2006 / 06:12

Games against your master are always something special. At least that is the opinion of the Werder midfielder Jurica Vranjes, who on Wednesday 08.02.2006 at 8pm, will find himself in just this situation. The Croatian will not only be battling against VfB Stuttgart for three points, but also against fellow countryman and friend Zvonimir Soldo.

Games against your master are always something special. At least that is the opinion of the Werder midfielder Jurica Vranjes, who on Wednesday 08.02.2006 at 8pm, will find himself in just this situation. The Croatian will not only be battling against VfB Stuttgart for three points, but also against fellow countryman and friend Zvonimir Soldo. "He's the only one of the Stuttgart team who I still have a lot of contact with. I played with him in Stuttgart for two years and a few time in the national team, I've learned a lot from him", sadi Vranjes on Monday. His respect of the now 38 year old midfielder is still great: "Despite his age, he is still among the best central midfielders in the Bundesliga."

 

His respect for the hosts captain aside, Vranjes still sees his new side in the roll of favourite. "Although VfB are tight at the back, we have to attack them the way we always attack - then we'll score our goals, we have the quality."

 

The league table is proof that VfB Stuttgart will be no push over. The Swabish team have only lost three games this season, as have Werder. The only reason for VfB not really mixing with the big guns is their 11 draws. Frank Fahrenhorst believes Giovanni Trapattoni's handy work is clear to see in the way VfB play: "They are very tight at the back and score from their limited goal scoring chances, as they did in the first tie we had with them this season. We have to stop them making openings." On the third match day of the season, despite their superiority, Werder were held to a 1:1 draw which ruined Werders chance of making their best ever Bundesliga start.

 

Should Werder win on Wednesday and achieve their third win in a row since the re-start, that would not be record breaking. In 1994/1995, the Green-Whites got the New Year off to a four win re-start. Bremen have only managed three wins in a row after the winter break on three occasions, the last time in double winning season 2003/2004.

 

The Green-Whites will not only be motivated by the statistics but also by their most recent results at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadium. The last time the visitors lost there was five years ago. In more recent times, Werder have experienced some curious matches in Stuttgart. Werder won there in their double winning eason but their next appearance there was a spectacular 4:4 with ten man Werder rescuing a point with late goals from Valdez and Klose. "I remember the game very well. I hope we don't make it so difficult for ourselves this time around."

 

The only guaranteed absentee from the VfB side will be Daniel Bierofka who is still recovering from an ankle injury. Bremen on the other hand will be without the services of midfielders Tim Borowski and captain Frank Baumann who both picked up their fifth yellow card of the season against Mainz. The losses in the middle of the park are not quite as difficult to compensate as up front with Miroslav Klose and Aaron Hunt both still unavailable. "Only a win is good enough for us, we are still hunting Bayern Munich", explained Vranjes. Whether or not he will make this clear to his master is unclear: "That I don't know but we'll certainly speak on the phone after the game."

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