Bremen hoping to avoid repeat
It hardly needs stating that Werder Bremen will try and erase all memories of last season's first knockout round encounter as they prepare to meet the challenge of Juventus at the Weserstadion. A 10-2 aggregate defeat by Olympique Lyonnais is an experience they are anxious to forget in this first meeting of the two clubs.
Flimsy resistance
A 3-0 home defeat in the first leg made it extremely tough for the German team to resurrect the tie but they would have hoped to show more resistance in the return as Lyon doubled their aggregate advantage inside the first 30 minutes. Bremen will be looking for a drastic improvement this time round though again the draw has not been kind to them. Juventus won five of their games in Group A their only defeat coming on German soil against FC Bayern München - and they have talent in every area of the field to frighten the most proficient of sides.
Group record
Thomas Schaaf's team qualified from Group C with seven points, the same number as Udinese Calcio who they edged out thanks to a superior head-to-head record. They took a point home after a 1-1 draw in Italy and played out a thriller with the same opponents in the return on Matchday 4.
Last Italian visit
In the last visit by an Italian club to the Weserstadion, Bremen stormed into a 3-0 lead by the 51st minute only for Udinese to stage an impressive recovery as they fought back to 3-3. Bremen then had French midfielder Johan Micoud to thank as his second goal of the game proved decisive.
Final flourish
After losing their first two games in the section it was not thought that Bremen would be serious contenders but the point they picked up in Italy on Matchday 3 gave them an impetus that eventually saw them through. A 5-1 victory against Panathinaikos FC meant that they finished with a flourish with Miroslav Klose's second-half goal enabling him to finish as the Bundesliga team's top scorer with three.
Bremen are getting used to facing Italian opposition, having been paired with FC Internazionale Milano in last season's group stage. A 1-1 draw at home proved an improvement on the away game which resulted in a 2-0 defeat.
Juventus strong
Juventus, twice winners of the European Champion Clubs' Cup and aiming for a third quarter-final appearance in four seasons, always had the look of qualifiers and successive wins in their first two fixtures did nothing to alter that view.
David Trezeguet was on the scoresheet in three of the first four games and his tally of four goals establishes him as the Bianconeri's leading marksman in the competition so far. Alessandro Del Piero, determined not to be left in the shade, did not reveal his predatory skills until the final two games when he weighed in with three goals.
Unbeaten at home
Bremen have faced Italian teams eight times on their own ground and have still to lose, winning three and drawing five. Before the return leg on 7 March they will be reminded that they have twice won on Italian soil, the last occasion being the third round of the 1989/90 UEFA Cup when they overcame Napoli Soccer 3-2.
Happy travels
Juventus have played a total of 20 European ties against German opponents. They have won their last three home games against visitors from that country and making the journey north has also regularly proved a happy experience.
In ten visits between 1976 and 2002 they just lost just once in Germany, although that was the 3-1 defeat by BV Borussia Dortmund in the 1996/97 UEFA Champions League final played in Munich. Juve had earlier defeated Dortmund 6-1 on aggregate in the 1992/93 UEFA Cup final and lost 1-0 to Hamburger SV in Athens in the 1982/83 European Cup final.
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