Thomas Schaaf’s Werder Bremen side bulldozed their way through the opposition towards the end of last season’s Bundesliga to claim a place in the play-offs for the Champions League, having finished third best in Germany.
WB, as a seeded side in the draw, could have expected relatively meek opposition in this round, yet they have been pitted against Serie A’s Sampdoria in what is a tie fit for the group stage of the competition.
Schaaf is taking a positive attitude into this encounter, however. “We're always setting ambitious targets and trying to look at things optimistically, so we're not thinking about failure,” he told the Bundesliga’s official website last week.
Werder certainly did not fail in their opening competitive game of the season, which was a DFB Pokal success against Ahlen on Saturday. Though the match ended 4-0, it wasn’t until the final half hour of play that the Bundesliga side really showed their class against their lower league opponents, with Hugo Almeida, Tim Borowski and Marko Marin all striking.
Something of a cloud hangs over the club at present after the departure of Mesut Oezil. The talented playmaker complete his long-touted move to Real Madrid just a day before this game, in which Werder were ready to use him and cup-tie him for the remainder of the competition.
Without the 21-year-old, Werder will surely provide far less intimidating opponents.
Tough Draw
Sampdoria have been heavily punished for their lack of acquaintance with the European game in recent seasons, finding themselves drawn against genuinely intimidating opposition as they try to break into the Champions League circle.
Over the summer months inspirational coach Luigi Del Neri has departed for the higher profile surrounds of the Stadio Olimpico with Juventus, and into the vacuum has arrived Domenico Di Carlo, who has been best known for his work in the lower half of the table with unheralded Chievo.
“The impression from the draw is a positive one and we would have taken that line with any team,” a determined Di Carlo told the club’s official website in the aftermath of the draw. “It's down to us to be ready for the game, but with organisation, the right mentality and the Sampdoria spirit we can beat an important side like Werder Bremen.”
Di Carlo also stressed the fact that Samp’s German opponents like to play in an open, attacking manner, much in the style that he would like his side to play. With talent such as Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini at his disposal, the coach would be right to be confident that a nortiously shaky Werder back line can be breached.
National pride is also at stake. The Bundesliga is closing up fast on Serie A in terms of UEFA’s coefficient and stands likely to claim a fourth Champions League spot for season 2012-13. Should Sampdoria eliminate Werder, they will have gone some way to restoring the balance of power back towards Italy.
TEAM NEWS
Werder Bremen
First choice centre-back Naldo is injured and will sit this game out, while a similar fate lies ahead for back-up goalkeeper Christian Vander.
Mesut Oezil's spot in the starting XI will be filled by Aaron Hunt, with Hugo Almeida starting up front.
Probable Starting XI: Wiese; Fritz, Mertesacker, Pasanen, Boenisch; Bargfrede, Frings, Hunt, Marin; Almeida, Pizarro
Sampdoria
The Blucheriati are liable to be able to call upon their top unit, though Pietro Accardi will be absent from the bench and Paolo Sammarco is set to miss a long period of the season.
Andrea Poli is something of a doubt in midfield, but he should be passed fit to feature.
Probable Starting XI: Curci; Stankevicius, Lucchini, Gastaldello, Ziegler; Semioli, Tissone, Palombo, Mannini; Cassano; Pazzini
Prediction
This encounter should be a festival of attacking football, though Werder will be aware of the importance of not conceding an away goal. Despite having this dimension to consider, the Germans are unlikely to be especially reserved in their game plan and will look to out-score Samp. Preseason results have not gone the way of Domenico Di Carlo’s men, and a lack of competitive practise may see them open up with a loss at the Weserstation.
Werder Bremen 2 - 1 Sampdoria 
