Just 24 hours after their stunning 4:1 UEFA Cup win over AZ Alkmaar and Werder Bremen are already looking forward to their next challenge. The Green-Whites most recently, re-attained light and breezy game will be put to the test by Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, 15.04.2007 (5pm kick-off). Thomas Schaaf, the Werder trainer, knows that in a week of highlights, the challenge posed by Dortmund will surely be compared with the spectacle on Thursday evening: “The game in Dortmund will be no easier than the one we played on Thursday night”, demanded the coach. Midfield–man Tim Borowski added: “It will be even more difficult”, not because he underestimates the quality of the Dutch Ehrendivision second placed side AZ Alkmaar, but rather because he is aware of the precarious position in which BVB find themselves. “Dortmund have to win if they are to get out of trouble.”
13th place in the Bundesliga table is no less than a grotesque state of affairs for the one time German giant. All was looking well for the Yellow-Blacks after the fourth game of the season. Following two seasons in a row as eventual seventh placed side, a 1:0 win against HSV on match day four, saw Borussia move into fourth place in the table. Simply too many draws and an unexplainable record in front of their own fans saw Dortmund slip further and further down the table. The massively, impressive and daunting Signal Iduna Park has seen only four home wins all season, with just as many defeats for Borussia and above all, too many draws against 'Beatable' sides who were struggling behind them in the table (e.g. Mainz, Bochum, Bielefeld and Aachen).
Considering his teams up-coming task in Dortmund, Thomas Schaaf is showing a deal of respect for the team who play at the biggest stadium in the Bundesliga and knows that BVB are nothing if not unpredictable: “We know well that Dortmund are not exactly oozing with confidence at the moment but an opponent with his back to the wall is a dangerous one. The team want to prove themselves in front of 80,000 fans.” And BVB have been on the ropes this season. Ninth place after 17 games cost trainer Bert van Maarwijk his job, his successor made a phenomenal start with a 3:2 win against Bayern Munich but after six defeats in the following seven games, Jürgen Röber had to clear his desk too. Now Thomas Doll has taken over the reigns in Dortmund but as the side slipped back to 17th place in the table, doubts were cast over the clubs third trainer in this season. A club who won the championship just five years ago.
Dortmund have two reasons to feel, at least, hopeful ahead of the visit of Werder Bremen: 1. An impressive 4:1 win in Aachen in their last game and 2. a good home record agains the Green-Whites (21 wins in 38 games). Christian Wörns, BVB's captain commented: “Werder suit us, I am confident.” The Bundesliga's second placed side have reasons of their own to feel confident though. 1. Both of Dortmunds other two wins since the winter break (Bayern and Gladbach) were follwed on each occasion by three defeats on the trot. 2. Five of the last eight meetings with BVB have ended in Bremen wins, including the 1:0 win in Dortmund last year (goal scored by Ivan Klasnic). The bitter 3:1 home defeat to BVB earlier in the season should give added motivation.
Thomas Schaaf will have two further options for his side with the return of Markus Rosenberg and Peter Niemeyer, who are both cup tied in the UEFA competition. Unfortunately there is as yet no word on the development of the injured Daniel Jensen (groin), Christian Schulz (muscular problems) or Pierre Womé (foot injury) and with Per Mertesacker still recovering from his knee operation, the likelihood of the same defensive line up as against Alkmaar is extremely high. Thomas Schaaf was particularly impressed by the performance of emergency left full-back Patrick Owomoyela: “We think about the starting eleven from match to match but I have to admit that Owo did very well. He did exactly that what we discussed and what was expected of him. It's quite likely that he will play again on Sunday.” For the Yellow-Blacks, Thomas Doll will be without Sebastian Kehl (sinew tear) and Lars Ricken (in the Under 23 squad) as well as being unsure as to the availability of German international Christoph Metzelder (hip injury).
Johnnie Muldoon