Bremen and Hamburg resume rivalry in UEFA Cup
Werder Bremen and Hamburg resume their long and often hostile rivalry when they play Thursday in the first leg of the UEFA Cup semifinals.
Bremen has often been Hamburgs nemesis in big games in recent years, and the two northern German clubs are now in the process of playing each other four times in a 19-day span.
The first match went Bremens way, when it won the German Cup semifinal last week after goalkeeper Tim Wiese stopped three penalties in the tiebreaking shootout.
That defeat took Hamburg out of contention for one of the three titles it was hoping for.
Hamburg has not won a title for 22 years and its last was the German Cup.
The Bundesliga and the UEFA Cup remain within Hamburgs reach - but the team could easily end up without any silverware at all.
After losing to Bremen in the German Cup, it also lost 2-0 at Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and failed to take advantage of losses for leader Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich. Hamburg is sharing third place with Bayern and Stuttgart, three points behind Wolfsburg with five games remaining.
Bremens playmaker Diego, who is the target of transfer talks with Juventus, warned his teammates to be wary of Hamburg.
After the loss in Dortmund, the UEFA Cup is their only chance to lift a title and they will put everything into this game, the Brazilian said. But if we play our game, well win again.
Allofs said Juventus had expressed interest in Diego and that there had been talks, but no negotiations.
Hamburg playmaker Piotr Trochowski thinks there is no reason for his team to consider Werder the favorite.
They are behind us in the standings, he said. Why should we fear them?
Werder, which won the German double in 2004, had a slow start in the season and is now 10th in the Bundesliga. But it can also end the season with two titles.
Hamburg has stumbled over Bremen before, like three years ago when Werder snatched a direct place in the Champions League ahead of its rival on the last day of the league season.
But captain David Jarolim said history wont repeat itself.
We cant lose twice so close to the final, he said.
Hamburg coach Martin Jol has injury worries. Striker Mladen Petric is out, while defender Marcell Jansen has bruised ribs.
His Werder colleague Thomas Schaaf has similar problems. Defender Petri Pasanen and midfielders Daniel Jensen and Aaron Hunt are out, while captain Frank Baumann is doubtful.
Schaaf turns 48 on match day and midfielder Torsten Frings said the team wanted to win for the coach as well.
