Champions of Europe ----- 's second most imporant competition

Germany embraces the UEFA Cup. With Bayern Munich playing in Europe’s 2nd tournament for the first time in a decade, the rest of Germany is trying to keep up with the country’s biggest club. That includes Werder Bremen, Schalke 04 and Stuttgart, who are currently in the Champions League.


The going has been tough for the three Champions League teams. Werder Bremen and Stuttgart find themselves in 4th in their respective groups, having failed to secure draws this past week to secure the coveted 3rd spot, a position that drops teams into the UEFA Cup Round of 32. Schalke currently find themselves in 3rd spot, but questions at Chelsea following the dismissal of Jose Mourinho and Valencia’s inability to finish, leave the current second place team in the Bundesliga in a dubious position. A positive result in either of the upcoming fixtures with Chelsea could see the Gelsenkirchen side slip into second place.


It wasn’t like manager Mirko Slomka didn’t try. He employed a midfield with no width against Rosenborg, who dominated the midfield, but his team unfortunately countered for two goals. Werder Bremen’s Thomas Schaaf will be disappointed with his team’s loss to Olympiakos. The goal they so desperately wanted to concede after dominating possession by over 60% during the match, escalated into two others quickly, meaning they need to win one of the games approaching with Lazio to move up one space. Stuttgart have to hope they are less sucktacular than Lyon to secure third.


Meanwhile in the actual competition, Leverkusen, FC Bayern, Hamburg and even lowly Nurnberg made it to the group stages. Leverkusen gave away two early goals which seemed to jeopardize their chances, but pulled through at Uniao Leiria. Nurnberg used the away goals rule to get by Rapid Bucharest. Hamburg demolished a Lycra/Spandex blend from Bulgaria, while Bayern made short work of another Portuguese side. All four will find their group pairings this coming Tuesday.


If things go according to plan, the Bundesliga could see seven teams through to the quarterfinals of the competition, which is now being called “das Ligapokal Zwei” colloquially in Germany. It would undoubtedly give Germany a half-decent chance of capturing its first UEFA Cup since Bayern and Schalke’s double of 95/96 and 96/97. The closest the Bundesliga have come since was Borussia Dortmund’s loss in Rotterdam to Feyenoord in 2002. It was a tragedy, really, as Dortmund awaited the return leg only to find out the competition had changed to a one-leg final three years prior.

The Fat Lady Sings

It seems a bit dramatic to claim that Schalke's chances of advancement are already done after one game, but it's true. This was always going to be a difficult group, and the first requirement was to ensure points at home. Schalke blew that last night by missing early chances and then losing steam.

Valencia came into the game in crisis. Following their 5-0 defeat at the hands of local rival Villareal, Quique Sanchez has come under scrutiny by fans, management and even the players. It doesn't helped that he scoffed at Wesley Sneijder, who is now closing in on superstar status at rivals Real Madrid. Rumors abound that he has lost the dressing room and two cheeky wins against poor opposition in La Liga haven't endeared him. So as they came to the Veltins Arena, Schalke had the upper hand.

Schalke have yet to lose a game in the Bundesliga, and that includes two away draws to direct competitors for the title: Stuttgart and Bayern. So the matchup heavily favored the Gelsenkirken side. And they took the game to Valencia for the first 20 minutes, missing two opportunities early. And while the game evened afterwards, they still had more chances than the Spanish side. A poorly executed trap and even poorer read of a through-ball to David Villa gave Valencia the lead and eventual victory.

A team typically needs 10 points to get through the group stages of Champions League. That leaves Schalke in the unenviable position of needing two points a game for the remainder of the stage. They are now forced to win and draw games on the road. And if they couldn't beat Valencia at home when the visitors were down, there chances of going to the Mestalla and gathering points seems remote right now.

The scenario for advancement is this: a victory home and away against Rosenborg, who shocked Chelsea away last nigh; a win at home against a Chelsea side, who will be healthy by the time that game is played; and a draw at either Stamford Bridge or the Mestalla. The scenario is grim at best.

Schalke will rue the missed chances last night and should not rule out a dogfight for the UEFA Cup spot.

The European Draw

The Champion’s League draw for German teams was not easy as all three clubs found themselves in hard groups.

Schalke 04 drew Chelsea, Valencia and Rosenborg in Group B

Chelsea and Valencia are both stacked squads. While any expectation of going to Stamford Bridge and getting three points should be quickly dismissed, Chelsea have never faired will at Anfield, which is a poor-man’s Veltins Arena. Also, recently Chelsea have shown some susceptibility along the wings, and if Slomka can deploy Ozil, Pander, Jones, etc along the touch, they could spread the field and provide room for Rakitic and Kuranyi. Krstajić will have to be at his best to deal with Didier Drogba, but I think he’s up to the task.

Valencia have started out poorly in La Liga, but are still a great team with the likes of David Villa, Morientes and Zigic up front. The team boasts arguably one of the best midfields in the world with the likes of David Silva, Joaquin, Albelda, Gavilan, Marchena and Angulo. Their defense is solid but is adjusting to life without Roberto Ayala, so it is better to face them early as Moretti and converted midfielder Raul Albiol form a partnership that may be exploitable.

Roseborg are a decent squad, but just do not have the talent to compete in such a stacked group. All teams will need to take six points off them and make sure they make sure their homes are a fortress. I expect this will give Schalke all the advantage they need to sneak past Valencia for the second spot.

Predictions: Chelsea, Schalke, Valencia, Rosenborg

Werder Bremen drew Lazio, Real Madrid and Olympiakos in Group C

Lazio are no longer the giants they once were, and have become a selling team after financial scandal. They are a team that likes to get forward; thus, they are susceptible to the counter, especially now that goalkeeper and excellent organizer Angelo Peruzzi has retired. Goran Pandev is the man to be scared of and Naldo will need to be at his best to slow this emerging star down. The absence of attacking mid Stefano Mauri will help a Bremen side that is missing its best midfield man-markers.

Real Madrid are playing for fun and have started the season with a similar air as Bayern Munich. A team that refuses to sit back typically gives Bremen a hard time, and I expect their two matches will be two of the most entertaining of the group stage. Olympiakos is a team quite capable of causing problems for any of these sides, especially at home. They will undoubtedly surprise at least one team at home and that could be the crucial decider for the top two. Bremen’s backlog of injuries doesn’t bode well; however, if Martin Harnik turns out to be the real deal, the Klose cloud could be lifted from their forward line.

Predictions: Real Madrid, Lazio, Werder Bremen, Olympiakos

Vfb Stuttgart drew Barcelona, Lyon and Rangers in Group E

Barcelona and Lyon have been strong teams for the past few years in the Champions League; however, they are facing troubling times. Barcelona’s fantastic four are already causing headaches for manager Frank Rijkaard and the stagnant form that plagued them towards the end of last season, seems to be present still as Rijkaard’s tactical choices get more and more criticism. Barcelona’s defense, while better than last year, is still a concern with a goalkeeper (Valdez) who is prone to gaffs and a central back (Milito) who is prone to reds. While not an ideal draw for the reigning champion’s, they are capable of playing with the Catalan giants.

Meanwhile, Lyon is suffering from years of success. Their team has been picked apart by richer clubs and now they face the group stage without keeper Gregory Coupet and captain Cris, both suffering long-term injuries. They also enter the contest with a board that doesn’t have full faith in new manager Perrin. Once again they are not a team to take lightly, but Stuttgart are capable of playing with them in both legs. Rangers are a much improved side this year, and are blossoming under Walter Smith, but they do have the air of a team that consists of far-too-many EPL castoffs, so Stuttgart must take six points off the Scottish giants, if they want to get through the group. Much will depend on Cacau's injury for the champs.

Predictions: Barcelona, Stuttgart, Rangers, Lyon

The UEFA Cup draw was much easier for German teams.

Nurnberg takes on Rapid Bucurest of Romania, who finished 4th in Liga 1 last year. Nurnberg has the hardest draw of the three sides as Romania has coefficient rating close to the Netherlands. It’s a good league and Rapid could cause problems for a Nurnberg side that has struggled at the beginning of this season. If new boy Cesinha is allowed to run at the defense, Nurnberg could find themselves up against the wall.

Hamburg takes on Litex of Bulgaria, who finished 4th last year. Newcomer Cedric Cambon anchors the back line while Fabien Boudarène is the defensive linchpin in the midfield. If these two Frenchmen can clog up the space that Rafael van der Vaart typically inhabits, they could provide problems during the away leg for HSV. There should be little problem when the home leg takes place at the Nordbank Arena.

Bayern takes on Belenenses. Belenenes finished 5th last season in the Portuguese Superliga. Had they won it, it is still doubtful that they could muster a positive result against the Bavarians. As it stands, this was a team that needed legal technicalities to avoid relegation and sits bottom of the table currently. Bayern will be able to field the reserves to deal with this team.

Bayer Leverkusen face U.D. Leiria of Portugal. Leiria, a former haunt of Jose Mourinho, and the youngest team in the Superliga, finished last campaign in 7th. Having made few changes, they will come into the tie with good chemistry and a bit of belief as they made it to the competition via the Intertoto Cup.

Game of the Week

Wolfsburg 1 - 1 Schalke

W: Krzynowek (35)
S: Altintop (86)

A raucous crowd watched a draw between the Royal Blues and the Wolves at the Volkswagen Arena. The 1-1 final was just deserts for both sides, who each took advantage of questionable calls and dominated stretches of the match. Felix Magath might feel let down to lose two points so late in the game, but he can take heart that his revolution at Wolfsburg is starting to take shape and his defense could well see him challenge for a spot in Europe by the end of the campaign. Meanwhile, Schalke have pulled draws in their first two away matches of the year, but still hasn’t found a sound tactical formation to rely upon.

The game’s outcome turned from a question of how could Schalke possibly draw to a question of how could Schalke not win in the last 30 minutes. Part of the change was due to the second yellow awarded to Wolfsburg’s new midfielder Josué in the 51st. The more significant reason for the change in fortunes was Schalke’s trainer Mirko Slomka’s tactical switches eleven minutes later.

Schalke dominated possession in both halves as Wolfsburg was willing to play counter. However, during the first half, Schalke were unable to translate possession into chances, with Josué marking 19 year-old playmaker Ivan Rakitic out of the game, while Madlung, Schäfer and Simunek created a fortress around the final third, so that Schalke were only able to get three shots off in the first half.

While the defending of Wolfsburg has to be commended, the poor midfield lineup by Slomka has to be noted. He decided to play without any wide men, as he sat three central midfielders behind Rakitic resulting is a 4-3-1-2, where halfbacks Pander and Rafinho provided depth but only halfway into Wolfsburg’s side. Jones and Ernst found a role within this structure as a runner and ball-winner respectively; however Bosnian Zlatan Bajramovic was unable to provide any significant contribution to his side as he jogged complacently about the pitch, invading Kevin Kuranyi’s space in the 18 and providing no decent width or passing.

Wolfsburg, on the other hand, made good work of their few chances. Their goal came when simulation by Wolfsburg’s lone striker Radu led to a freekick on the edge of the box, which Jacek Krzynowek curled around the wall perfectly to catch keeper Manuel Neuer flatfooted. In the second half, Marcelinho came alive and began to command the midfield, especially immediately after Josué was sent off. The chances started coming for Wolfsburg and they looked to finish off the game when substitute Edin Dzeko pulled the ball down the by-line and fed a ball to Marcelinho, which may go down as one of the worst missed of the season, who flailed on an attempt at an open net. The miss took the air out of Wolfsburg.

Soon after, Slomka replaced Asamoah with Halil Altintop and the worn out Jermain Jones with Mesut Özil. Özil immediately provided width on the left, and Bajramovic moved back into a deeper setting role, which suited him better. This freed up space for the speedy Altintop and the skillful Rakitic who took advantage of to force midfield prepotency. With Rakitic free from Josué’s excellent marking he was ever-present in the later stages of the game. He almost leveled the game on a number of occasions including a blinding shot from outside the 18 that bounded off the wood onto the line and out where Kevin Kuranyi brilliantly controlled the ball but sent the rebound high.

Schalke had 33 shots in the game, most of them in the late stages of the second half. The one that leveled was set up by a poor clearance by Madlung; however, it was a perfectly timed run by Bordon, who Kuranyi had tried to freed, that left Madlung in an awkward position, only able to stab the ball clear. It landed to Altintop who placed his effort into the far right corner of the net. Schalke would have many more chances to win, but could never break down Wolfsburg defense again.

Round 2 Review

Karlsruhe 1 – 2 Hannover 96

K: Franz (37)
H: Hanke (55) Balitsch (75)

Mike Hanke set up and scored a goal as Hannover turned over a deficit, which is something they were unable to do all of last year. In only their second win at Karlsruhe ever, the form of talisman Arnold Bruggink seemed to return as they controlled tempo and possession. However they were given a scare early when Maik Franz was pushed down, but got up, found space and finished a superb Hajnal cross.

Schalke 4 – 1 Dortmund

S: Bordon (11) Pander (31) Asamoah (59) Kuranyi (78)
D: Valdez (66)

It’s not often that a 4-1 loss can be said to flatter to deceive for the team on the losing end, but that was definitely the case of this massive derby match. Schalke dominated the play, possession (53%), shots (20-9) and shots on target (11-4) and even that doesn’t tell a comprehensive enough story about their domination of this match. Thomas Doll must already be feeling pressure, not for losing his first two games comprehensively, but for the fact that his back line is incapable of marking. England might have been wise to view this game and understand Christian Pander’s lethal ability from range.

Werder Bremen 0 – 4 Bayern Munich

BM: Ribéry (pen 31) Toni (51) Altintop (79) Ottl (87)

See Below

Hertha Berlin 3 – 1 Stuttgart

H: Chahed (pen 51) Fathi (65) Okoronkwo (80)
S: Hitzlsperger (15)

Stuttgart was seriously missing striker Mario Gomez and playmaker Cacau for this game. They outshot HSB 20-12 but only 2 of those attempts were on target. Had those two been available their chances would have been better taken. As it was, it was the home side that made half of their dozen opportunities go on target. But they needed a bit of simulation to level the game after Hitzlsperger’s blast in the 15th minute. Lucio blatantly dove in the box after the break to earn a penalty that Chahed finished. Fathi, then, outjumped Stuttgart from a Lucio corner to break their backs and Okoronkwo finished the game on the counter. It’s a poor start to the season for last year’s champions.

Bielefeld 2 -2 Frankfurt

B: Kucera (68) Wichniarek (80)
F: Meier (87) Russ (89)

A forgettable first half was followed by a raucous second. Bielefeld scored in the 68th and 80th, running at Frankfurt’s right flank with Kucera and Wichniarek getting hold of solid crosses from Bohme and Eigler, respectively. They were looking to top the table, when with three minutes to go, Frankfurt scored twice via Meier and Russ. A sudden turn of events saw both teams through with four points on two played.

Hansa Rostock 1 – 2 Nurnberg

R: Orestes (63)
N: Galásek (16) Kluge (25)

Hansa showed susceptibility from long range as Galasek and Kluge scored from 35 and 20 yards each in a first half which Nurnberg thoroughly dominated. Vittek and Christeas could have put the game out of reach, but their inability to finish off Rostock led to a turn in fortunes. Hansa was able to take control of the game for a short time in the second half and scored their first of the season on a header by new centerback Orestes. But Nurnberg closed up the midfield and walked away with the victory.

Duisburg 1 – 3 Wolfsburg

D: Lavric (88)
W: Marcelinho (41) Madlung (52) Radu (72)

Marcelinho was the story of the match as he scored and set up the other two goals as Felix Magath won for the first time at the helm of the Wolves. While Duisburg had control for the early part of the first half, a poorly cleared ball led to a stunning goal by the Wolfsburg captain. After that they took the game to the visitors and scored on two plays orchestrated by Marcelinho: an in-swinger that Madlung got his head to and a beautifully times pass that Radu finished.

Hamburg 1 - 0 Bayer Leverkusen

HSV: van der Vaart (pen 64)

Hamburg dominated their opening home match of the season with Rafael van der Vaart not letting his desire to go to Valencia get in the way of his duties as captain. While he did slot home a penalty in the 64^th minute for the only goal of the match, he was the most dominating presence on the pitch for the entirety of the match. Had it not been for the woodwork and the work of Leverkusen keeper Rene Adler, the final tally could have been much greater. Hamburg keep pace with Bayern Munich, while Leverkusen head to round three as the only team in the Bundesliga not to score.

Energie Cottbus 1 – 2 Bochum

C: Skela (49)
B: Bechmann (14, 42)

Well the good new for Cottbus was that they did manage to score: a long range blast from Ervin Skela. The bad news is that they lost again. It was Danish hitman Tommy Bechman, who now leads the Bundesliga in scoring, with his second and third of the season to get Bochum four points.