Dear readers,

Werder Bremen's victory at SC Freiburg was an immensely important one for the team and for the players' self-confidence. Besides earning three points against the drop, they pulled off a win at a side with a very good home record.

Werder knew exactly what was at stake and finally really worked together again as a unit. That's something they haven't demonstrated too often of late and one of the main reasons for their slide down the standings. Another has been the lack of form of some key players, Torsten Frings and Per Mertesacker for example. Claudio Pizarro has had a lot of injury problems as well. His importance to the side was well established long before he scored at Freiburg of course. He's Bremen's life insurance.

The burden that dropped from some of the players' shoulders following that win was all too evident, even watching it on TV. But Thomas Schaaf's troops can't afford to start thinking they're out of the woods yet, they need to rack up a few more wins before they can be sure of that. Their fate is in their own hands. They still have to play against all of their rivals for the drop, but putting together the necessary number of points is going to be anything but easy.

The first step along the way comes against Mönchengladbach on Saturday evening. The Foals have got off to a good start under Michael Frontzeck's successor, Lucien Favre, winning two of his first three games in charge. The one they lost though, at Wolfsburg, was a very poor performance again. If you want to escape the cellar, you need to play well against your direct rivals, which Wolfsburg were and still are. Borussia didn't do that and deserved to lose. They can't afford any repeat of that showing in Bremen.

They still have every hope of staying up though. Those two home wins have got them back within touching distance of the other strugglers. Still, if they want to stay up they need to start getting a few results on the road as well, otherwise they're going to come up short. But looking at how things are developing at the foot of the table, with Eintracht Frankfurt now slipping into the mix as well, why shouldn't Gladbach be capable of at least still making the relegation play-off place?

Yours,

Uli Borowka


Uli (Ulrich) Borowka turned professional with Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1981 and went on to play 149 times for them, scoring eleven goals. In 1984 he reached the DFB Cup final with the Foals, losing out on penalties to Bayern München. Three years later, he moved to Werder Bremen, for whom he would go on to make 239 top-flight appearances (eight goals). The hard-as-nails defender, nicknamed "the axe", helped the Green-Whites to the title in 1988 and 1993 and won the DFB Cup with them in 1991 and 1994 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1992. He wound down his active career with Widzew Lodz in Poland in 1997.

Defending champions FC Bayern München were thoroughly upstaged when Borussia Dortmund came to town on Matchday 24. The runaway league leaders won a high-class contest 3-1 at the Allianz Arena to end any residual interest the hosts may have had in this season's title race and also dent Bayern's prospects of finish second. In the wake of their 3-1 defeat at high-flying Hannover 96 the following week, the record champions are now seven points behind current second-placed side Bayer Leverkusen.

"Dortmund scored at just the right times. We dominated the game in the second half, but couldn't find a way through their defence. So Borussia were worthy winners", acknowledged home coach Louis van Gaal, who it has since been announced will be leaving the club at the end of the season. For his Dortmund counterpart Jürgen Klopp it was, "a great day for us, if only for the fact that we've managed to win in Munich for the first time in almost 20 years. We wanted to put in a special performance, and we succeeded."

The youngest Dortmund team ever to play in the Bundesliga (22.3 years old on average) put FC Bayern to the sword with the remarkable worldly-wise insouciance that is fast becoming their trademark. Lucas Barrios opened the scoring for the visitors in the ninth minute of a turbulent early phase, with Luiz Gustavo levelling for Bayern in the 16th and Nuri Sahin restoring BVB's advantage just two minutes later with a fantastic curling shot from outside the box. On the hour mark, Mats Hummels powered home a header from a Mario Götze corner to truly take the wind out the home side's sails. Dortmund's eleventh away win of the season incidentally pulls them level with joint Bundesliga record-holders Werder Bremen (2003-04) and Hamburger SV (2005-06).

The game was a fast-paced encounter from the off, with the visitors making a point of double-marking Bayern star Arjen Robben, to great effect. There was also little to be seen of Bastian Schweinsteiger, whose loss of the ball to Kevin Großkreutz led directly to Dortmund's early opener. For long stretches of the match, the Munich side were seemingly unable to exert any real pressure on BVB reserve keeper Mitchell Langerak, who was making his top-flight debut. With Robben virtually marked out of the contest, Bayern found themselves overly reliant on the odd burst of inspiration from either Franck Ribéry or Thomas Müller.

The better chances by far fell the way of Dortmund as they bore down at speed and with a deceptive minimum of apparent effort on the hosts' goal. As early as the fourth minute, Robert Lewandowski squandered the opportunity to put them in front when he popped up unmarked in front of Bayen keeper Thomas Kraft. With the game balanced at 2-1, Hummels and Barrios also missed back-to-back chances to give Borussia a two-goal cushion, while eight minutes into the second half Schweinsteiger made partial amends for his earlier blunder by clearing a header from Großkreutz off the line. Not long after that though, Hummels struck the killer blow for the guests from the Ruhr district.

Three days after losing 1-0 to city neighbours FC St. Pauli in their rescheduled home meeting, Hamburger SV bounced back in style with a 4-0 victory over Werder Bremen. Goals from Mladen Petric (42'), Paolo Guerrero 64', 79') and Änis Ben-Hatira (87') did the damage against their traditional northern rivals While the result kept HSV on course for a possible place in the Europa League, the club's 500th Bundesliga defeat plunged Bremen deeper into trouble at the wrong end of the standings.

"Coming after the loss to St. Pauli that was a really tough job. The team were under a lot of pressure and they coped very well with it", Hamburg coach Armin Veh commented after the match. "Bremen defended very deep and didn't give us much space, so going a goal up before the break was crucial. In the second half we played really well. It was a geat response from the team and a bit unexpected in that form", he added.

The nervousness on both sides was palpable in the early stages of the contest. HSV were seeing more of the ball, but chances were few and far between at either end. Home skipper Heiko Westermann passed up one in the ninth minute when he tried to square the ball to Petric instead of shooting himself when clear inside the area, Per Mertesacker managing to avert the danger. Werder's best chance of the half was a 31st-minute shot from Clemens Fritz, saved by HSV custodian Frank Rost.

The breakthrough eventually came for Veh's team shortly before the interval. An incisive move involving Jonathan Pitroipa and Guerrero ended with Petric volleying home his seventh goal of the season, and Hamburg were on their way...

Jürgen Klopp has another reunion 1. FSV Mainz 05 upcoming on Matchday 27 (March 19th) and while the Dortmund coach's cordial relations with his former club remained undiminished in the wake of a 2-0 away victory earlier in the season, the balance of power has since shifted dramatically in BVB's favour. At the end of October, Dortmund travelled to Mainz second in the table behind the hosts. Come the end of the match they were three points to the good and top of the standings themselves.

15 games later, Borussia are still heading the pack, but now with a massive twelve-point advantage over closest pursuers Leverkusen and inexorably on course, it would seem, for a fourth Bundesliga title. Mainz have fared rather less well in the interim, having to take another eight losses on board. Nevertheless, Thomas Tuchel's team have done enough to keep themselves in fourth and still very much in the running for a place in European competition next season.

Mario Götze broke the deadlock in the sides' first meeting on Matchday 10 with a clinical first-half finish, and the 18-year-old shooting star also set up the second for goalgetter Lucas Barrios after the interval, rounding off a well-deserved victory. In between those two strikes BVB keeper Roman Weidenfeller also earned his corn, saving a penalty from Eugen Polanski.

Another day's hard, another standing ovation for Jan Schlaudraff. The former Germany international had just bagged two goals for Hannover 96 in the 3-0 Matchday 23 victory over 1. FC Kaiserslautern and the home fans were out of their seats applauding a player who not so long ago was more used to enduring disgruntled whistles from the terraces. "I'm happy to have turned things around after all at Hannover. What matters most though is the team's success", said Schlaudraff. It was quite a contrast with the situation at the start of the season, when the club seemed to have effectively written him off.

Club president Martin Kind went as far as to say at the time that, "The decision has been made, Jan Schlaudraff will never play for us again." Attitude, commitment, engagement: the 27-year-old all-round attacking talent was judged to be lacking on multiple fronts, his contract, valid until 2012, a "misunderstanding". Schlaudraff though insisted he would be staying to see it through and the eventual upshot was that coach Mirko Slomka gave him another chance.

The gamble paid off all round, to the extent that these days Schlaudraff forms one-third of Hannover's own "magic triangle" up front, alongside Didier Ya Konan and Mohammed Abdellaoue. His two goals against Kaiserslautern were testimony to the quality of his finishing and all-in-all Hannover are heading for their best-ever Bundesliga season, with even a place in the Champions League very much within the bounds of possibility. Not just a part of it, Schlaudraff is at the very heart of it and on current form a return to the frame for the national team is not out of the question either.

He made three appearances for Germany in the wake of the 2006 World Cup while playing for Alemannia Aachen, who signed him from his first professional club, Borussia Mönchengladbach, in 2005. At the start of 2007 he was snapped up at Bayern München, but competing for a place alongside the likes of Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose proved a bridge too far at the time. Schlaudraff dropped out of the limelight both for club and country and subsequently switched to Hannover in the summer of 2008. More than two years down the line he has finally, unquestionably arrived there.

The clubs shared the points, but there was one big winner in the 1-1 draw between 1899 Hoffenheim and 1. FC Köln on Matchday 23: Michael Rensing. The Billy Goats goalkeeper enjoyed the luck of the brave in a match-long contest-within-a-contest against Hoffenheim frontman Vedad Ibisevic. Any sympathy that Rensing, unemployed for the six months before Köln signed him in mid-December, had for his out-of-luck opponent remained unvocalised. "I exchanged glances with Vedad during the game, nothing more", he said afterwards.

The former Bayern München custodian had come out on top in no less than five one-on-one showdowns with the Bosnian international goalgetter, with a couple of truly spectacular saves thrown in. "Vedad was up against two opponents - the goalkeeper and the aluminium", 1899 coach Marco Pezzaiuoli commented drily. According to his Köln counterpart Frank Schaefer meanwhile, "Rensing kept us in the game." In fact, the only goal to find its way past him did so by way of a team-mate, Milivoje Novakovic diverting a Sebastian Rudy free kick into the net to put Hoffenheim 1-0 up early in the second half. A 69th-minute strike from defender Youssef Mohamad subsequently salvaged the visitors a point.

For all the praise heaped upon him, Rensing was happy to acknowledged that Lady Luck was also on Köln's side against a superior Hoffenheim team. In the 28th minute, for example, when Ibisevic latched onto the loose ball after the keeper had pulled off a great reflex save, only to see his header bounce off the post straight into Rensing's arms. "That might happen to you once in a lifetime. It was a curious one alright", admitted the 26-year-old keeper, who put pen to paper on half-season deal with an option to extend just three days before Christmas.

Rensing had been searching for a new employer ever since his contract with FC Bayern ran out in July 2010, keeping himself fit in the meantime at sixth-flight outfit VfR Garching. When Köln came knocking, it was the perfect opportunity for the one-time designated successor to the legendary Oliver Kahn at FC Bayern to get back onto the Bundesliga stage. He already feels "totally at home" in Cologne and as to what the future holds, he is more than happy at the moment to take refuge in what amounts to the city motto, a local dialect version of "Whatever will be will be."

Hannover 96 have been the ultimate surprise package in a season of Bundesliga surprises. Midfielder Sergio Pinto talks in interview about their victory over Bayern München, coach Mirko Slomka and another crunch game at 1. FC Köln.

Congratulations on the 3-1 victory over Bayern München and the goal you scored. What was the key to that success?

Sergio Pinto: We didn't let the name "Bayern München" put us off, but just focused on implementing our own game the way Mirko Slomka told us to. We kept our shape at the back and gave constant support to our wide men. We tried to get the ball forward and into their penalty box as quickly as possible. That's what decided it.

That win put you clear in third place. Did you think at the start of the season that you'd be playing for a place in Europe with Hannover?

Pinto: No, that wasn't to have been expected really. Especially after we got knocked out in the first round of the DFB Cup. Even though we never doubted we could still be in the mix at the higher end of the table, I don't think anyone at the club would have thought we would enjoy such a level of success.

What do you personally believe Hannover can still achieve this season? Is a place in the Champions League a possibility?

Pinto: I haven't thought about that yet. Our initial goal was 40 points. Having hit that mark, we're now out to break the club record (49 points in 2007-08, ed.). We're not looking beyond that at the moment. If we beat the record, we'll take it from there.

Mirko Slomka was signed up to save Hannover from the drop last season. He did that and now he's taken the team to third place in the table. What are his qualities as a coach?

Pinto: I think he's very fair with every player. Everyone is given a chance. He discusses things plainly and sticks consistently to the strategy he and the coaching staff have devised, regardless of whether we beat Bayern or lose on the road somewhere. It's very important for the team as well that the coach is following a particular plan. If you carry it out, you've successfully done your job. That makes the work with all the coaching staff enjoyable. We're a team through-and-through, and that's important.

Next up for Hannover is a trip to 1. FC Köln. How do you think that match will go?

Pinto: I think it will be a very tight game. Köln are on a run at home, they've won five in a row there. Still, we're going there to get a result and obviously we'll be out to make life as tough as possible for them. To be honest, I reckon the game at Köln will be more difficult than the one against Bayern. It might not seem so on paper, but they are desperate for points themselves and it's going to be extremely close.

Hannover also have games against Mainz, Hamburg and Freiburg still outstanding - three other teams in the running for a place in European competition. Are those the matches that will decide that one way or the other?

Pinto: The most important game right now is the one against Köln. If we can follow on there where we left off against Bayern, that will be a big result for us. If we really want to play in Europe next season, this is just the kind of match we need to be taking a result from. We can't afford to lose it.

Van Gaal leaving FC Bayern this summer
Louis van Gaal will only remain in charge of Bayern München until the end of the current season. The FC Bayern executive has confirmed that the Dutch head coach's contract, valid until June 30th 2012, will now be terminated a year early, due to "differing philosophies over the strategic direction of the club." CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said it was "without doubt extremely difficult, but despite the upcoming parting of ways we are agreed that we have to put our joint energies into trying to achieve our goals." Van Gaal took over at FC Bayern on July 1st 2009 and led them to a league and DFB Cup double in his first season in charge, as well as a place in the Champions League final, where they went down 2-0 to Inter Milan.

Veh on the way as well
Armin Veh will take his leave of Hamburger SV this summer. The 50-year-old head coach is making use of a clause in his contract - valid until 2012 - to depart at the end of the current campaign. Veh took over at Hamburg, who at the moment lie seventh in the table, in May 2010. Prior to that he had stints in charge of FC Augsburg, SpVgg Greuther Fürth, SSV Reutlingen, Hansa Rostock, VfB Stuttgart and VfL Wolfsburg. His greatest success came with Stuttgart, whom he led to the Bundesliga title in 2006-07.

Favre succeeds Frontzeck at Mönchengladbach
Lucien Favre is the new head coach at relegation-threatened Borussia Mönchengladbach, taking over from Michael Frontzeck. The 53-year-old Swiss has been tasked with helping the five-time German champions avoid what would be their third demotion from the top flight. "I'm confident we still have a chance of staying up", said Favre, who returns to the Bundesliga for the first time since being sacked by Hertha BSC in September 2009. Under the new coach, the Foals have already got off the mark at home with victories over Schalke 04 (2-1) and 1899 Hoffenheim (2-0).

Four for Eigler
The name "Christian Eigler" will send a shudder down the spine of many an FC St. Pauli fan for some time to come, after the striker slammed four goals past the Hamburg outfit as 1. FC Nürnberg completed a 5-0 demolition job on Matchday 25. The feat also secured Eigler a place in the club record books, as you have to go back some 44 years to find the last time an FCN player bagged more than four goals in one Bundesliga game. Back to 1967-68, to be precise, when Franz Brungs hit Bayern München for five in a legendary 7-3 victory, in what was, to date, Nürnberg's last title-winning season. "I've never scored four goals in a game as a professional. The last time I managed it must have been at Under-19 level", said Eigler.

Arnesen Hamburg-bound
Hamburger SV have successfully concluded their search for a new sporting director. As of next season, former Danish international Frank Arnesen will occupy the post. Currently at top Premier League outfit Chelsea FC, where he has latterly worked in the same capacity as well as being in charge of the club academy, Arnesen has agreed terms with the Red Shorts through to 2014. "I'm very glad we've reached this solution. In addition to accumulating valuable managerial experience at top international clubs, with his focus on youth work and training, Frank Arnesen also possesses just the qualities which will be of most significance to us going forward", HSV supervisory board chairman Ernst-Otto Rieckhoff commented, stressing as well that Arnesen was offered the post on the back of a unanimous 12-0 vote. Current Chelsea head scout Lee Congerton will also be signing up with Hamburg, in the newly-created position of technical director.

No comeback date yet for Naldo
Having returned to Werder Bremen following a knee operation in his native Brazil, central defender Naldo is no closer to knowing exactly when he will be fit to play again. Despite the success of the operation, surgeon Carlos Bergamaschi estimated that it could be up to six months before the four-time Brazil international is ready to take to the pitch again. That time-frame would clearly rule him out of action for the rest of the current campaign.

Mainz sign Pospech
FSV Mainz 05 have acquired the services of Zdenek Pospech for the coming season. The 32-year-old defender will arrive from FC Copenhagen on a free transfer and a deal valid through to 2013. " Zdenek Pospech" is a player of great technical ability, with a real fighter's heart and a great work-rate", Mainz sporting director Christian Heidel said of the 19-time Czech international, who has also played 54 times in the Champions League. "With his vast international experience, he will be a big plus for our team."

Award for Metzelder
Christoph Metzelder has become the first recipient of the CSR (Corporate Social responsibility) prize for sport. The Schalke 04 central defender and 47-time Germany international received the award for his long-term engagement with his own foundation, "Future Youth". The prize committee praised the foundation as "an exemplary and sustainably-structured CSR project."