"We're facing a tough challenge," explained Heiko Herrlich at the pre-match press conference on Monday afternoon. "'We need to break new ground. If I look at the stats then you can almost say Werder are the favourites: Bayer 04 have never won in any of the six cup games. Tomorrow, we obviously want to be the first to do it," said the Bayer 04 head coach in describing the plan against the bogey team.
It's not just the previous cup results against Bremen that are preventing Herrlich and his players from underestimating the team currently lying fifteenth in the Bundesliga. "I said before the league game against Werder Bremen that it will be a very, very, very, very difficult game for us. At the time, one of the papers had a bit of go at me for using the word very four times. But I don't think I was that far off the mark," said Herrlich in recalling the laboured 1-0 win against the team from the North in the league in the middle of December ("it was hard work"). Since Florian Kohfeldt took over as coach from Alexander Nouri at the start of November, much has happened with the Green and Whites according to Herrlich. "They did lose at Bayer Munich but actually played in the way we would have liked to have done at home to Bayern – brave and very bold from the back." The upturn and recent results such as the 2-1 win against Schalke 04 on Saturday are no coincidence. "They played very well before that but didn't get the rewards. In the league the team are absolutely not where they should be," said Herrlich.
In spite of the praise for the team from the North, Herrlich is looking to take his team through to the last four. "But Bremen want the same. Tomorrow is not about points and there won't be any points awarded. It's all about winning or losing, going out or going through, life or death. So there is special motivation," said Herrlich ahead of the clash with the six- time winners of the German cup competition behind record winners Bayern Munich (18 wins).
Herrlich did not want to focus too much on previous games against Werder Bremen in the cup: "I've spoken to one or two people at the club about previous cup ties. But I don't think the past really helps in preparing to meet an opponent – the current approach that makes Bremen strong is much more important than anything in the past."
Heiko Herrlich has almost a full squad to choose from. All the players are fit. The 46-year-old coach does see Julian Baumgartlinger as a possible doubt following a viral infection. "He's already feeling better. But we'll have to wait and see how he comes through the afternoon training session."
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