Time for Bremen to deliver

Werder Bremen can afford no more slip-ups if they want to retain hope of a prolonged UEFA Champions League adventure. That was the message from coach Thomas Schaaf on the eve of the German side's Group C home fixture against S.S. Lazio. "It is very important to win if we want to have a chance of progressing to the knockout stage," he said. "We have two games against Lazio now and we have to get as many points as possible."

Precarious
Bremen may lie second in the Bundesliga, Saturday's 3-2 home victory over Hertha BSC Berlin their third in succession in the domestic competition, but their position in the UEFA Champions League looks precarious following two defeats. Schaaf's men have been here before, of course, recovering from an identical start to qualify for the first knockout round two seasons ago.

'Be effective'
Moreover, they have not lost in nine previous home meetings with Italian opposition, yet Schaaf was interested only in the task at hand. "We have to be active and play our game, impose our qualities on the game and be effective – find space and keep the ball." Perhaps mindful that his team had enjoyed 58 per cent of possession against Olympiacos only to succumb 3-1 after conceding three times in the final 17 minutes, the coach added: "Possession is not the only thing – we have to be effective with it and to win the game."

'Not decisive'
With two draws to their name, Lazio coach Delio Rossi sought to play down the significance of Wednesday's encounter between the group's third and fourth-placed sides, insisting that nothing would be decided yet. "It is not decisive because there are still three games to play," he said. He also countered Schaaf's prediction that the visitors would adopt a defensive approach. "We cannot play for a 0-0 draw because we aren't that kind of team. We cannot just sit back and defend."

Injured list
That said, Rossi admitted his options were limited. Midfielder Stefano Mauri and defender Sebastiano Siviglia sustained injuries in Sunday's 1-0 win at AS Livorno Calcio, joining Emílson Sánchez Cribari and Cristián Ledesma on the sidelines. Rossi may be tempted to move left-back Luciano Zauri infield to partner Guglielmo Stendardo in the centre, with Aleksandar Kolarov filling in at full-back. As for replacing Ledesma in the midfield holding role, Fabio Firmani may, like Kolarov, be in line for his first start of the group stage although Roberto Baronio is another option. "I have to think about which players I can put out on the pitch because we have a lot of injuries," said Rossi, although he should be able to count on Valon Behrami, Massimo Mutarelli and Goran Pandev, despite that trio carrying knocks.

Rude health
Bremen, by contrast, appear in increasingly rude health. Captain Torsten Frings and fellow midfielder Tim Borowski have both got two Bundesliga games under their belts since returning from injury for the Olympiacos match. In addition, Schaaf said that both Clemens Fritz, absent at the weekend because of a sore ankle, and Hugo Almeida, who had a stomach problem in training on Monday, would be available.