When Werder Bremen take on Nuremberg in the final match of the first half of the season on Sunday 16 December 2012 at 5:30 p.m., it won't just be a showdown between the 12th and 13th...
When Werder Bremen take on Nuremberg in the final match of the first half of the season on Sunday 16 December 2012 at 5:30 p.m., it won't just be a showdown between the 12th and 13th...
When Werder Bremen take on Nuremberg in the final match of the first half of the season on Sunday 16 December 2012 at 5:30 p.m., it won't just be a showdown between the 12th and 13th placed teams on the table. It's also a battle of clubs who hope to head into the winter break with peace of mind after an up-and-down first half.
Seven point cushion for Christmas
"Maybe the team needs these kinds of critical situations," said Nuremberg head coach Dieter Hecking, referring to the stage of the season in which his team was 15th on the table and much closer to relegation than a stable spot in the middle of the standings. But wins over Wolfsburg (1-0), Hoffenheim (4-2) and Düsseldorf (2-0) and a draw against Bayern (1-1) gave Nuremberg a comfortable cushion from the relegation ranks ahead of the winter break.

"Seven points is a pretty nice advantage," said the visibly satisfied Hecking. The head coach knows how much his team has improved and is confident that they will pick up at least a point in Bremen. Nuremberg have won twice in a row along the Weser (1-0 in February 2012 and 3-2 in October 2010). But the Green-Whites still have a better all-time record in Bremen against Nuremberg as Werder have won 19 of the 29 matches in Bremen.
Respect Nuremberg
Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf knows well the strengths of the next opponents. "I expect a motivated Nuremberg team who are very compact and full of commitment and enthusiasm. They can switch from defence to offence very quickly and we must watch out for their counter attacks," said Schaaf. Werder also have some highs and lows behind them this season, with the last three games (4-1 defeat against Leverkusen, 4-1 win in Hoffenheim, 4-1 loss in Frankfurt) being a perfect example of the turbulent times. It remains to be seen if the pattern continues with a 4-1 win against Nuremberg. But Schaaf is certain of one thing: "It will certainly be exciting again."
