Semi finals between Hamburg and Werder set to be classics

At the beginning of the season, if you asked any fans of German football to name one team that could possibly challenge Bayern Munich for the title, most would have answered Werder Bremen. If you would have asked them to name one team that would be languishing in mid-table but good enough to go on a few cup runs, for most the pick would be Hamburger SV. However, as we enter the final stretch of the season, these predictions have been reversed to the shock of many a pundit.

Hamburg under the stewardship of Martin Jol, are in with the possibility of capturing an amazing treble. They are just three points behind league leaders Wolfsburg, and are in the semi finals of the German Cup and the UEFA Cup. Werder on the other hand have been horribly inconsistent in the league, at times thrashing the table-toppers, only to lose at home to the bottom-dwellers the next weekend. It was the same story in the Champions League, whereby they were undefeated against Inter Milan, yet contrived to miss out on the knockout stages following horrendous performances against underdogs Panathinaikos and Anorthosis Famagusta. Yet, unbelievably they could be on for exactly the same cup double that Hamburg are chasing.

The most intriguing aspect of both the cup challenges is of course, that Hamburg and Werder play each other in the semi-finals of both the DFB Pokal and the UEFA Cup. It would be fair to say that for neutral observers of German football, these two teams have been the most entertaining to watch. Martin Jol has always had a reputation for pursuing attacking football at the expense of defensive solidity. However, there are times when Bremen under Thomas Schaaf can make even Jol's teams look dull. Their emphasis on continuous attacking has led to some great victories over big names, and also some heart-breaking losses. Ideally it would be great if both these teams just split the cups, with Werder winning the UEFA Cup and Hamburg the German Cup.

Looking at matters practically though, the advantage might actually be in Bremen's favour. They don't have anything to play for in the league, and can thus muster all their effort and concentration towards the cups. Ever since their brilliant comeback in the San Siro to knock out AC Milan, Werder have been a team transformed. Diego is back to his diminutive best, scoring and creating in equal measure. One could also say that Werder Bremen have paid their dues in European football the past few years, consistently giving a tough time to many a giant in the Champions League, and thus merit at least a UEFA Cup final experience.

Hamburg on the other hand are team with more pressure to deliver. One can't rule out the positive energy and adrenalin as a crucial factor in their demanding conclusion to the season. However, chasing a treble can drain teams mentally and physically, and one gets the feeling that one loss in any of the competitions they are involved in, could possibly derail the dream. Furthermore, for all his charm and personality, Martin Jol doesn't seem to be the kind of manager who is ideally suited to keep his players focused consistently when faced with continuous string of high pressure games. For Hamburg, the key in the run-in is going to be the form of attacking triumvirate Trochowski, Olic and Guerrero.

There is always a huge risk when analysing these two teams. Unpredictability is the only thing that is predictable about Werder Bremen and Hamburger SV. In fact, it is quite conceivable that whoever wins, will eventually lose to Bayer Leverkusen and a Ukranian opponent in the German Cup and Uefa Cup finals respectively. Nonetheless, what is predictable is that these three semi-finals, and for that matter the league game at the Weserstadion will provide us exciting attacking football, defensive lapses and hopefully classics to remember.