week 19 - match preview

Royal Blues target three points against Bremen

After failing to secure the points their performance at Hannover 96 would have merited, the Royal Blues aim to make amends against Werder Bremen on Saturday. "We have to work to get a good result", appealed Fred Rutten, "and at home we always go out to win."

"In the two competitive games so far this year you could see that our fighting spirit, organisation and tactics are there", the Schalke boss emphasised. "So I'm convinced we'll get a good result."

Rutten also takes heart from the fact that his players have worked hard and with great concentration all week. He said: "Anyone watching the squad train could see that the lads are fully focused."

The Dutchman was reluctant to say much about Saturday's opponents, though. "I want to look at my own team as much as possible and see what we can do better. But obviously we have also dissected Werder's strengths and weaknesses", he explained.

Objectively, it is clear that Bremen will have been weakened by the suspensions for striker Claudio Pizarro and playmaker Diego. "But they still have lots of other good players", warned Rutten.

The Royal Blues know what they are up against, then, but the recent head-to-head record does speak for them. Thomas Schaaf's men have won just one of the last eight meetings, a 5-1 home victory in April 2008. They have also gone six games without a win in Gelsenkirchen.