Y - Youngsters: Werder players experienced some difficult autumn days sportwise. The results just didn't come and the injury situation ahead of the Champions League away match at Tottenham Hotspur in late November had reached drastic levels with double digits of injured and suspended players including important pillars such as captain Torsten Frings, Claudio Pizarro, Naldo and Wesley. Seven players under 23 years were on the game roster at Tottenham with two of them making their professional starting debut on the biggest European stage in Felix Kroos in right midfield and Dominik Schmidt as left back. During the game, Onur Ayik and Lennart Thy were subbed in before the final whistle blew on a 3-0 loss at White Hart Lane and the elimination of continued international action. "So shortly after the game the main thing is the disappointment of being eliminated," said the 20-year-old Kroos. "But I think I will be able to be happy about my debut in a couple days." Correctly so, as Per Mertesacker said in representation of the veterans on the pitch. "Of course we would have liked to have had as many players available as possible, but you have to complement those who tonight played for the first time in the Champions League," said Mertesacker.

Z - Zadok the priest: This well-known but long-missed sound finally boomed over Weser Stadium on September 14. The melody is a warm welcome for football fans' ears and souls. Georg Friedrich Händel's crowing hymn "Zadok the priest" is a clear signal - the Champions League. Werder Bremen had qualified for Europe's top club competition for the seventh time. The start to the Champions League was less than ideal as Tottenham jumped ahead 2-0 after just 18 minutes before Hugo Almeida and Marko Marin scored to provide a 2-2 draw. The Green-Whites came back from the nightmare start and knew they still had five Group A matches and everything was still possible for the season. Nearly three months later on December 7 the hymn chimed again for the final group match against reigning champions Inter Milan. But it was the last time Werder would hear it first-hand this season as the Green-Whites had been eliminated already following a 4-0 loss at Inter, a 1-1 draw at Twente, a 2-0 loss at home against Twente and a 3-0 defeat at Tottenham. But at least the departure proved Champions League worthy. Thomas Schaaf's team played better minute by minute before knocking off the Nerazzurri 3-0 with goals by Prödl, Arnautovic and Pizarro. But it didn't really help the disappointment about the past results. "It is very, very aggravating that we could not call up the potential we had imagined. There is actually even a bit of anger. When it continues in the spring, then I will still be a bit angry in front of the television. But that stimulates me to do better," said Schaaf.