| Slumping Bremen needs a win to stay in chase |
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| Thursday, 27 March 2008 | |
 FRANKFURT (AP) - Werder Bremen's hopes of challenging Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title have faded recently. Now, holding onto a Champions League place seems a challenge. Bremen has gained only four points from the last five games to slip to fourth place. Thomas Schaaf's team is one of three clubs on 44 points, nine behind leader Bayern. Hamburger SV is second with 46. Since the start of the season, Werder has been beset by various problems, including long-term injuries and suspensions of key players. "I've really not experienced anything like this before," Schaaf said. "So many absences, a schedule that ruins everything. It's been extraordinary. "Look at this week - I've had none of my strikers here in training. Ever since the winter break, one or two of them have been missing for any number of reasons." Werder shrugged off any problems in the first half of the season to stay with Bayern, going into the winter break even on points. Since the season resumed, Bremen has been struggling. With Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke also on 44 points, and a resurgent Stuttgart close behind on 41, Werder could not only end up missing out on the Champions League - even a place in the UEFA Cup could be in jeopardy. "The results have not been good, we are paying dearly for our mistakes, both in attack and defense. We have to improve, but I see the desire," Schaaf said. Bremen still has to play its direct rivals at the top of the standings. Only second place guarantees a berth in the Champions League, while third place leads to a qualifying spot. "There are no easy games (in the Bundesliga). It's good that we still have to play Schalke and in Hamburg and Leverkusen," Schaaf said. Bremen should get a break Saturday, when it hosts last-place Duisburg in the 26th round. Bayern travels to Bavarian rival Nuremberg, which is desperately seeking to avoid relegation. Nuremberg, last season's German Cup winner, is level on points with Duisburg and one place up from the bottom. Ottmar Hitzfeld's second stint as Bayern coach began 13 months ago with a 3-0 loss at Nuremberg. "Things are a lot different now," Hitzfeld said. "We still have some unsettled accounts." Hansa Rostock kicks off the round Friday against Wolfsburg. Also Saturday, Leverkusen hosts Eintracht Frankfurt, VfL Bochum hosts Borussia Dortmund, Hamburger SV plays Arminia Bielefeld and Schalke visits Karlsruhe. On Sunday, Stuttgart travels to Hannover 96 and Energie Cottbus plays Hertha Berlin. |
