Tim Wiese was wearing a thick bandage around his calf as he stood in the changing room Friday morning. He wanted to give it one more try but it was clear after treatment in the morning. The game against Nurnberg would take place without him. "Back in the Valencia game I got hit in the calf. And I kept playing with pain. Recently I wasn't able to do the goal kicks. And it was about time that the calf and the muscle get a break. Everything should be okay by Wednesday or Thursday of next week," said the German international keeper, who did not even head out to the pitch for final training.

And since Christian Vander is not yet ready to play after his gastro-intestinal infection, the keeper duo for Saturday's game against Nurnberg will be Sebastian Mielitz und Felix Wiedwald. Mielitz should have an advantage between the two U23 keepers and stand between the posts on Saturday. He played with the professional team in the Bundesliga in a 0-0 draw against Cologne and also helped Bremen beat Nacional Funchal 4-1 in the Europa League. Goalkeeper coach Michael Kraft is convinced that Mielitz will do a good job filling in for Wiese. "We have full faith in Sebastian. He will do a good job this time as well. He has already proven himself in important games in the Bundesliga and the Europa League," said Kraft.

Ready to play meanwhile is Hugo Almeida, who was banged up during the German Cup semi-final but trained with the team on Thursday and was without pain in Friday's final training.

The following 19 players are available for Bremen on Saturday: Mielitz, Wiedwald, Pasanen, Fritz, Mertesacker, Borowski, Rosenberg, Prödl, Bargfrede, Frings, Almeida, Pizarro, Marin, Özil, Hunt, Husejinovic, Jensen, Boenisch, Abdennour.