After getting bounced in the first round of the German DFB Cup the last two years against Münster and Heidenheim, Werder Bremen are looking to beat 1. FC Saarbrücken (kick-off 2:30 p.m.) in their opening round cup match on Sunday...
After getting bounced in the first round of the German DFB Cup the last two years against Münster and Heidenheim, Werder Bremen are looking to beat 1. FC Saarbrücken (kick-off 2:30 p.m.) in their opening round cup match on Sunday...
After getting bounced in the first round of the German DFB Cup the last two years against Münster and Heidenheim, Werder Bremen are looking to beat 1. FC Saarbrücken (kick-off 2:30 p.m.) in their opening round cup match on Sunday and advance to the next round of the competition.
Of course the fans are anxiously awaiting the first competitive match of 2013-14 with some 3,000 expected to make their way to Ludwigspark Stadium. But Werder head coach Robin Dutt is also very excited. "We are all very excited. The preparations have been a lot of fun. We sweat a lot and had a lot of talks. Now you just want it to finally start," said the coach.
"Every match must be played first"
But the 48-year-old Werder coach knows it will not be a walk in the park against the third division team. "German Cup matches can be once-in-a-lifetime games. There is no draw or return leg, so there's no going back. You can never underestimate third division teams. Nowadays they have nearly the same physical conditioning as first division teams," said Dutt.

History-laden omen
Despite all the sayings such as "The cup has its own laws" and "You can never underestimate third division teams", history is clearly in Werder's favour. In the last 25 years, SV Werder have reached the cup final every five years (1989, 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009) and won the title in the last four of them.
And that isn't the only reason Green-Whites fans should feel good. SV Werder and 1. FC Saarbrücken last squared off in the German Cup in 1960-61 when Werder won 1-0 in the first round before later winning the trophy.
Plenty speaks in favour of the Green-Whites having a good weekend. So much so that it seems almost impossible that Saarbrücken could be mentioned in the same breath as Münster and Heidenheim.
