Karlsruhe – Werder Bremen preview

With five games left until the end of the season, both sides will be looking for three points to push towards their targets.

Karlsruhe will want to finish as high in the top half of the table as they can, while Werder will want to hold onto second place to guarantee Champions League football next season.  An exciting game awaits at the Wildparkstadion.

Time To Finish On A High

Most Bundesliga fans must have been rubbing their eyes in disbelief on Matchday 9 when looking at the league table.  Newly promoted Karlsruhe had just beaten the previous season’s title challengers Schalke to sit second in the table.

Twenty one games later the table looks a little more familiar with the usual suspects occupying the top seven, while Edmund Becker’s team from Baden have dropped down to a still respectable 10th.  With 41 points on the board, KSC already find their Bundesliga status safe for next season with five games to go.

If fans at the Wildparkstadion had been offered that at the start of the season, they probably would have snapped your hand off, but there is a slight feeling of regret amongst the players and coaching staff as to what could have been.

Even well after the winter break had finished the Karlsruhe success story didn’t look like being a flash in the pan.  On Matchday 22, they still held fifth place in the Bundesliga, and had their eyes very firmly fixed on a Uefa Cup place.

However, the long-awaited dip in form did arrive with a run of six games without a win and four defeats amongst those.  The lull in form coincided with increased speculation as to the futures of some of their key players next season.  Tamas Hajnal is to join to Borussia Dortmund, while defender Mario Eggimann has agreed to join Hannover.

A 1-0 win away at Duisburg last week brought to an end that poor run of results, so KSC will be looking to continue with another positive result against Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Edmund Becker’s side lost 4-0 at the Weser Stadion back in November, but will be boosted by the fact that they are particularly strong at home against the top teams.  None of the teams currently between 2nd (Werder) and 7th have managed a win at the Wildparkstadion this season.

Werder Look To Secure Second

At the winter break, Werder Bremen found themselves level on points with Bayern Munich at the top of the table and seemingly poised to take the Bavarians all the way in the title race.

With five games remaining Werder still lie second, but are now a full ten points behind Ottmar Hitzfeld’s champions elect having all but conceded the title to their fierce rivals.

Five defeats in nine games following the restart in February saw the Green and Whites drop down as low as fifth and look in real danger on missing out on the Champions league for the first time in many years.  However, three consecutive wins have seen them reclaim second spot, but that has a lot to do with the less than sparkling form shown by the likes of Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen.

The task for Thomas Schaaf’s side now is to hold onto second place and that starts with taking three points from Karlsruhe on Saturday which will be no easy task.  They also have two particularly tough away trips to fellow European hopefuls Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen to come.

“The constellation could deliver a couple of good results for us but first and foremost I am focused on the task that we have to fulfil against KSC” Schaaf explained.

“When that job is done, then I will take a look at what went on in the other stadiums.  I must admit though, it is an interesting combination of games to view and see exactly how the competitors have gotten on.”

FORM GUIDE

Karlsruhe

Match	Result	Date	Championship
MSV Duisburg – Karlsruher SC	0 – 1	16/04/2008	BUNDESLIGA
Karlsruher SC – Hansa Rostock	1 – 2	12/04/2008	BUNDESLIGA
Arminia Bielefeld – Karlsruher SC	1 – 0	05/04/2008	BUNDESLIGA
Karlsruher SC – Schalke 04	0 – 0	29/03/2008	BUNDESLIGA
Borussia – Karlsruher SC	1 – 1	22/03/2008	BUNDESLIGA
Karlsruher SC – Eintracht	0 – 1	15/03/2008	BUNDESLIGA

Werder Bremen

Match	Result	Date	Championship
Hansa Rostock – Werder Bremen	1 – 2	15/04/2008	BUNDESLIGA
Werder Bremen – Schalke 04	5 – 1	12/04/2008	BUNDESLIGA
Hertha BSC – Werder Bremen	1 – 2	05/04/2008	BUNDESLIGA
Werder Bremen – MSV Duisburg	1 – 2	29/03/2008	BUNDESLIGA
Arminia Bielefeld – Werder Bremen	1 – 1	23/03/2008	BUNDESLIGA
Werder Bremen – VfL Wolfsburg	0 – 1	16/03/2008	BUNDESLIGA

TEAM NEWS

Karlsruhe

Striker Joshua Kennedy has seen his season cut short with an ankle ligament tear suffered in training this week.  The Australian winter signing had scored five goals this season following his switch from Nürnberg.  Edmond Kapllani, who has yet to score this season looks set to replace him.

South African Bradley Carnell is also out with an adductor injury, but Edmund Becker will be able to call upon Maik Franz and Michael Mutzel, who both return from injury.

Probable starting XI: Miller, Görlitz, Eggimann, Franz, Eichner, Mutzel, Aduobe, Staffeldt, Hajnal, Freis, Kapllani

Werder Bremen

The return of Peter Niemeyer from injury means that trainer Thomas Schaaf only has two players absent from his squad- Sebastian Boenisch and Frank Baumann.

Danish midfielder Daniel Jensen looks set for a return to first team action following thee weeks out with a muscular injury.  He could be the one to replace Baumann.

Probable starting XI:  Wiese, Fritz, Mertesacker, Naldo, Pasanen, Frings, Jensen, Borowski, Diego, Rosenberg, Sanogo

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Karlsruhe- Mario Eggimann

Despite the fact that that Eggimann has already agreed to join Hannover next season, the Swiss international defender has vowed to do all he can to ensure that Karlsruhe’s season finishes on a high note rather than  fizzle out like a damp squib.  Opponents Werder come into the game on the back of three wins with nine goals scored, so Eggimann will be called upon to act upon his rallying call.

Werder Bremen- Diego

The Brazilian as always is Werder’s key man.  His skill, vision and pure ability can turn any game in Werder’s favour and with him still making almost daily denials of wanting a move away from the Weser Stadion and being spotted recently looking to buy new house in the area, Werder fans will be looking forward to seeing yet another dazzling season from their midfield maestro, and hopefully win something with him.

source: goal.com