The showdown against Bayern
Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf realises this. "They are playing strong as a team. At the moment, it's difficult to find something negative with Bayern," said the coach. Still, Munich internally remain grounded as they have learned from going title-less in the past two seasons. "Euphoria is uncalled for," said board chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "We must remain calm and continue to play committed football." Team captain Philipp Lahm also warned his teammates about getting too high. "Last year we gave away too many points in the league because we were not consequent enough. That will not happen to us again," said Lahm.
What a game: Mesut Özil (right) helped Werder to a historic 5-2 victory in Munich in 2008. Special match for Pizarro and Petersen
But who can stop Bayern? The next team to attempt it is Werder Bremen. "It will be a very, very difficult match for us. But we can prove ourselves," said Schaaf. The Green-Whites have held their own against the Munich side in the past as Bayern have lost more often against Werder than against any other Bundesliga team. But Werder have struggled of late with the last Bremen victory dating back to a 5-2 win in Munich in September 2008. Scoring for Bremen back then were Markus Rosenberg (twice), Naldo, Mesut Özil and Claudio Pizarro. Quite a lot has happened since then.
Four years later, two players in particular stand out besides Munich's ensemble of stars - Nils Petersen and Claudio Pizarro. Petersen was sent on loan from Bayern to Werder to help Bremen's attack. But the match will not have nearly the emotional impact for Petersen as it will for Pizarro. The Peruvian played a total of seven years for Werder and left in the summer from Bremen to Munich (just like in 2001). Now the new record-holder returns to Weser Stadium in his new kit. By getting subbed in mid-week against Wolfsburg, Pizarro set the mark for most Bundesliga appearances by a foreigner with 337. The Green-Whites hope Pizarro and his teammates have nothing to celebrate on Saturday as the points should remain in Bremen.
