Three game days before the end of the season, Eintracht Frankfurt are still worrying about fighting relegation and a victory against Werder Bremen would be a huge help. Earlier this season Werder thrashed Frankfurt 5-0. But last year Bremen lost 1-0 at Eintracht. And Frankfurt fans have two big hopes that may be in their team's favour. First off, Werder will have to rotate their players so that could help. And the second hope is that all of Bremen will have their minds Istanbul and Berlin.

Frankfurt coach Friedhelm Funkel shot down the first suggestion straight away. "No, that will not be a big help. Bremen may start with people like Vranjes and Tziolis - but both are national team players. Or Hugo Almeida, who did not play before from the start but scored twice against Hamburg," said the coach. And one cannot really talk about rotation since Diego, Per Mertesacker and Naldo being hurt have nothing to do with resting players. Nonetheless Christian Vander and Petri Pasanen are back on board - the latter could actually be an option for the starting formation since both centre backs are injured.

And as far as Frankfurt's second hope - "Please don't disturb - Werder players are dreaming of the final" - Sebastian Prödl downplayed such an idea, saying after the final training: "The games on Wednesday and Saturday will not be easy. We will and have to play consistent and concentrated football. We are not losing any thoughts on the finals just yet!"

Werder travelled to Frankfurt on Tuesday with the following 18 players: Wiese, Vander, Boenisch, Pasanen, Tosic, Fritz, Prödl, Andersen, Baumann, Vranjes, Tziolis, Frings, Özil, Niemeyer, Rosenberg, Hugo Almeida, Pizarro, Harnik