week 11 - match preview

Royal Blues keen to build on recent record against Bremen

Schalke have an excellent head-to-head record against Werder Bremen over the last 2½ years, having won four of the five Bundesliga clashes between the two sides and emerging victorious in the League Cup semi-final in 2005. A win at the VELTINS Arena on Saturday would see Schalke move past the north German side, who currently sit second in the table.

Head coach Mirko Slomka feels the two teams are in a similar situation going into the game, having both played in the Champions League on Wednesday. While the Royal Blues lost against group favourites Chelsea, Werder picked their first win of the current campaign at home to Lazio.

"They'll come here full of confidence", said Slomka at today's pre-match media conference. "In recent matches they've found their old form again." Bremen have benefited from the return of experienced first-team regulars such as Torsten Frings, Tim Borowski and Germany international Clemens Fritz, leading Slomka to the following conclusion: "We'll have to put in a really good performance to beat them."

Last season the Royal Blues showed they are capable of doing just that, winning both at home and in Bremen by two goals to nil. But it wasn't just the results that pleased Slomka: "In those games we played the kind of football we want to see from the team: aggressive in the challenge, win the ball in midfield and then move it forward quickly. We need to get back to playing at pace."

Because if one thing is clear it's that 17 points from ten league matches is not enough. "Our record is not satisfactory. Especially when you consider that you have to pick up two points a game on average to qualify for the Champions League at the end of the season", explained Slomka. Three points against Bremen would certainly be a good start in the bid to make up lost ground.