week 32 match preview
Büskens calls for right derby attitude
The Royal Blues travel to local rivals VfL Bochum on Tuesday (kick-off 2000 CET) for the final midweek fixture of the season. With three games left to play, caretaker boss Mike Büskens is still focusing on an automatic Champions League place. "We want to win our last three games to put Bremen under pressure. So three points are a must in Bochum."
Yet Büskens is aware it will be no easy task. "Bochum operate in the shadow of their big neighbours and will do their utmost to beat us." This is why he feels Bochum's last two results - a 1-1 home draw against MSV Duisburg and a 2-0 defeat at Arminia Bielefeld - are of little significance. Büskens: "It's a local derby. It's obvious they'll be out to rain on our parade. That's a big motivation for them. We'll have to respond in kind."
Bochum coach Marcel Koller has put together a very compact, homogenous team who contrary to what many experts were predicting before the season have already secured Bundesliga safety. "Bochum are doing a good job", said Büskens, taking his hat off to the "Unrelegatables".
The Schalke boss is particularly impressed with the way they have coped with losing leading goalscorer Theofanis Gekas. "Everyone thought it would be very tough for them. But in Stanislav Sestak they signed another top striker who hardly anyone had heard of before."
In selection terms nothing much has changed for the Royal Blues since the Hannover game. Christian Pander (groin) will not recover in time for the derby. "He will probably train with the rest of the squad again on Tuesday and will then have to get back to match fitness", explained Büskens, who is still without Gustavo Varela (thyroid operation), Zlatan Bajramovic (toe) and Ze Roberto (muscle strain).
Vicente Sanchez, who missed Saturday's game due to a knee injury, could be fit again, however. "He'll resume full training on Monday and then we'll see whether he can play", said Büskens. This will depend on how the joint reacts. "But you can tell he's desperate to play."
