CL Preview: Werder Bremen vs Panathinaikos

By: Chris Paraskevas | November 3rd, 2008

In cooperation with: Goal.com

Two sides who would have fancied their chances of progressing through the UEFA Champions League group stages after a rather favourable draw this season have both struggled during the early part of their respective European campaigns.

Thomas Schaaf’s aesthetically pleasing Werder Bremen side have failed to replicate the free-flowing form that has seen them score 27 goals in 11 Bundesliga games this season on the continental stage, scoring only three goals in their opening three encounters.

Two of those came during their last encounter, a 2-2 draw against Panathinaikos in Athens a fortnight ago, where Hugo Almeida’s late equalizer gave the Germans a much needed point – and denied Panathinaikos what would have been a crucial first win of the campaign.

Henk Ten Cate’s men fought their way to a character-building league win on the weekend, easing the pressure on the under-fire Dutchman, whose side have collected only one point in Europe so far this season, following a home loss Inter and an embarrassing collapse in Cyprus.

Entertainers

Despite their relative lack of success on the domestic scene so far this season – they currently lie in eighth place with sixteen points, nine off leaders Hoffenheim – a haul of twenty-seven goals has helped maintain their recent standing as one of the great entertainers of European football.

However, with that tag comes inevitable defensive frailty, though their style in Europe this season has been slightly more reserved at times.

Undefeated on the continent, Schaaf’s men have found themselves in an extremely close race to qualify from the Champions League group stages, largely a result of their scoreless draw at home to unfashionable Anorthosis Famagusta on the opening matchday.

They redeemed themselves somewhat with an entertaining 1-1 draw at the San Siro, before salvaging a precious point against Panathinaikos in Greece, where they maintained their slight lead over Henk Ten Cate’s men.

A win in Bremen on Tuesday will almost certainly eliminate any chance of the Athenians progressing past the group stages and assuming Inter are able to win in Cyprus, should put the Germans in a position from which to qualify for the knockout rounds.

And given their reputation for attacking football – and Panathinaikos’ for defensive frailty – you wouldn’t bet against themβ€¦

Must Win

Panathinaikos’ last encounter against Bremen presented a chance for redemption after a Cypriot disaster, where their European ambitions were dealt a huge blow by Temuri Ketsbaia’s Greek giant-killers.

A club with established European pedigree, qualification from the group stages was arguably made a realistic possibility by a fairly equitable group – yet they have yet to register a single victory.

After going behind to Bremen in Athens, forgotten man Vangelis Mantzios grabbed a headed double to set the Greeks on their way to what should have been a crucial victory, until an absence of man-marking that has epitomized their defensive worries this season allowed Almeida to head past a helpless Tzorvas.

In more recent times, domestic troubles – a two match winless streak at home, including an embarrassing 3-2 loss to Ergotelis – have heaped pressure on manager Henk Ten Cate, who earned something approaching breathing space by guiding his men to a gutsy win away against an Alvaro Recoba-inspired Panionios outfit on Sunday.

The Greeks will need a similarly desperate defensive display in Germany on Tuesday if they are to have any chance of victory – one that they will need to achieve if they are to harbour realistic expectations of progressing past the group stages.

TEAM NEWS

Werder Bremen

Thomas Schaaf will be without the services of talismanic midfielder Torsten Frings, after the Germany international picked up his third yellow card of the competition in Greece, meaning he will be suspended from the encounter at the Weserstadion.

Germany wing-back Clemens Fritz has overcome the muscular problems that have kept him out of Werder’s last two encounters, returning to full team training on Sunday and appearing a chance to start on Tuesday.

Otherwise, the Bundesliga outfit emerged from a 5-1 weekend win over Hertha Berlin largely unscathed.

Panathinaikos

Andreas Ivanschitz is a conspicuous absentee from Henk Ten Cate’s travelling party to Germany, with the Austria international ruled out by injury along with Brazilian striker Rodrigo Souza, while teen prodigy Sotiris Ninis – who played against Panionios at the weekend – appears to have been ruled out of the upcoming clash with Bremen after suffering a training-ground injury.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Werder Bremen

Former Chelsea striker Claudio Pizzaro is Bremen’s top-scorer this season across all competitions this season, with seven goals in the Bundesliga so far. The Peru international has been in fine form, scoring a double at the weekend during his side’s 5-1 romp over Hertha Berlin. He may have lasted barely 30 minutes in Athens two weeks ago but he will no doubt have a more lengthy role to play when Ten Cate’s men visit Germany.

Panathinaikos

The influence of Greece international Giorgios Karagounis cannot be understated. His drive and general enthusiasm will be crucial to Panathinaikos’ attacking display in Bremen – one that they will need if they are to have any chance of victory at the Weserstadion.

Prediction

Logic suggests the free-scoring Germans will enjoy the freedom afforded to them by a defensively disjointed Panathinaikos outfit, whilst history is also in the favour of Thomas Schaaf’s men: the last time the Greeks travelled to the Weserstadion for Champions League football, they were thumped 5-1.

However, Henk Ten Cate’s side rallied in the face of adversity on Sunday, overcoming the loss of Bryce Moon to a red card to grab a massive victory away against Panionios. With the same spirit and a little bit of fortune, there’s no reason why they can’t revive their European campaign with an unlikely victory.

I’m tipping Panathinaikos to show a united front and steal a win in Germany, blowing the race for second-spot wide open in Group B.