Luki in Heiligenfelde instead of Equatorial Guinea

Werder defender Assani Lukimya's next match will take place in Heiligenfelde in northern Germany instead of Malabo in Equatorial Guinea! The 26-year-old was nominated for the Congo national team after a long absence but decided against international play with the hope of starting in the Bundesliga. Werder's new acquisition turned down the invitation from Congo to instead go full steam in training with the Green-Whites. "It was a very conscious decision from me. Now I can showcase myself in both of Werder's up-coming test matches," said Lukimya, referring to the games in Heiligenfelde and against Dynamo Kiev.

But the defensive specialist isn't just looking forward to the two test matches but also the next competitive contest as he would like to start against Borussia Mönchengladbach. "If I had taken the trip to western Africa now, my chances would be very slim. I was aware that I would miss a few training sessions in Bremen. That's more than 10,000 kilometres of travel. That takes a lot of time, also to get used to the climate and playing with your teammates. I didn't not want to lose that time before the Gladbach match. We are in a phase in the Bundesliga in which we really need to get some results. We should be fully focused on that. I will give my all in every practice," said Lukimya.

Lukimya's decision to stay with the Green-Whites was not frowned upon back home in Africa. "I spoke to those in charge in the federation and explained my situation. They were very understanding," said Lukimya, who emphasized that he was very happy about the nomination for the international match. It was his first call-up to the Congo national team in years. His first of three caps came on 20 August 2008. For Luki, it was a clear signal that Congo head coach Claude Le Roy is focused on bringing him into the team.