Composure crucial for Bremen boss Schaaf

Werder Bremen may be facing one of the biggest matches in the club's history, but coach Thomas Schaaf will be telling his men to relax before Wednesday's UEFA Cup final against FC Shakhtar Donetsk.

Everything right
Schaaf, who played in the side which won Bremen's only European trophy to date, the 1991/92 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, is well aware of the stakes in Istanbul and what it will take to return to northern Germany with the trophy. "Everything has to be right to win a final," he told uefa.com. "We must believe in our own strengths. Obviously, the players will be very nervous going into the match but we need to relax as much as we can. We will prepare for the game in the same way as we have prepared for all the other games this season."

Team spirit
Though the physical preparations for the final are likely to take up much of Schaaf's time, it is his men's mental resilience which has stood out so often in Europe this season. Coming from 2-0 down at the San Siro to knock out AC Milan with a 2-2 draw in the last 16, seeing off Udinese Calcio in Italy at the quarter-final stage, and then beating Hamburger SV 3-2 at the Arena Hamburg to overturn a home-leg loss and reach the final were all testament to their team spirit. "We have been impressive in this competition so far and have overcome some stiff opposition," said Schaaf, who particularly savoured the derby triumph over Hamburg. "It shows that we have a lot of character and great morale. The players never lost hope, especially considering that we had some very tough moments to overcome."

Shakhtar homework
Along with his own side's preparations for Wednesday, Schaaf has also been busy analysing their Ukrainian opponents, who similarly came through a derby atmosphere in their semi-final against FC Dynamo Kyiv and are not to be underestimated. "We have done our homework and watched Shakhtar," he said. "They are very flexible and skilful up front, they look solid at the back and they can create a lot of pressure down the wings. They have got some excellent individuals but they work well as a team. They definitely deserve to be in the final."

Anniversary
Schaaf is naturally hoping for a Bremen victory that would also be a perfect way to celebrate his tenth anniversary as coach, though the stint is small beer compared to his lifelong association with the club. Having first joined their junior ranks as an eleven-year-old in 1972, he has not left since, playing and coaching at both youth and senior levels over the decades. Now he stands on the verge of another European success and the 48-year-old is determined not to take anything for granted. "My memories of 1992 are fantastic and I could not single out a special memory," he said. "All I can say is that I would love to repeat the success as a coach – but there is still a lot of work to do. So far we have not achieved anything except booking a place in the final."