Bremen aim to pile pressure on Udinese

Werder Bremen will be looking to add to a miserable season for Italian clubs in Europe when they welcome Udinese Calcio to the Weserstadion in the UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg.

Lone campaigners
With Udinese the sole Serie A representatives left in either UEFA club competition, the 2008/09 campaign could well be one best forgotten by the 'Bel paese'. For their part, Bremen can claim a third Italian scalp of the season, having knocked out favourites AC Milan in the Round of 32 and beaten FC Internazionale Milano 2-1 here in the UEFA Champions League group stage in December to secure this UEFA Cup campaign. Certainly Thomas Schaaf's men have reason to be confident of taking a lead into the second leg at the Stadio Friuli on Thursday week. Bremen have won their last two home Bundesliga games in emphatic style, defeating Hannover 96 4-1 and VfB Stuttgart 4-0, and have never lost at home to an Italian side in UEFA competition.

Taking control
Despite that form, Schaaf is wary of a Udinese side who beat BV Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at the Westfalenstadion in the first round last September and who will try to outwit a physically strong Bremen defence with the pace and trickery of their attack. "Udinese have shown they are very quick on the counterattack; they proved it against Borussia in Dortmund and against other sides this season," Schaaf said. "We've got to be careful they don't get a chance to make these highly dangerous breakaways. We have to impose our game right from the start, and keep them in their half."

Physical strength
Schaaf's analysis of the sides' respective strengths and weaknesses was shared by Udinese coach Pasquale Marino. "Bremen are well organised tactically, playing with two strikers supported by a playmaker, and physically they're very strong. They've got a lot of height at the back. But we also know that if we get our game going, even though there's a big physical difference, the pace of our forwards can cause them problems. We're not beaten yet." For Marino, whose side knocked out holders FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the last round, Bremen's success against the Milan sides "shows just how good they are. But for that very reason, we want to avenge the Italian clubs".

Baumann back
Frank Baumann returns for Bremen after suspension, but fellow midfielder Daniel Jensen is out for the rest of the season after achilles tendon surgery on Wednesday. Udinese have Maurizio Domizzi available again for after a one-match ban although striker Antonio Floro Flores is doubtful after suffering a thigh injury in Sunday's 1-0 defeat by Inter. Goalkeeper Samir Handanovič and defender Aleksandar Luković are both major doubts after injury, despite travelling with the squad.

Previous thriller
Though the match could be a tight, tactical affair, neutrals will be longing for a repeat of the two clubs' only previous Weserstadion meeting in the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League group stage. Bremen raced into a three-goal lead but Udinese drew level in the space of six minutes during the second half only for Johan Micoud to win the game 4-3 for the home side.