Stadium: Weserstadion, Germany
Match Time: 19:45 UK
28' Piotr Trochowski
Pre-Match News:
Hamburg coach Martin Jol has played down his side's recent cup disappointment against Werder Bremen ahead of their third meeting of the season in the UEFA Cup semi-finals.
Jol's side were eliminated from the DFB-Pokal at the hands of Bremen last week but the Hamburg coach does not believe that defeat, which came in a penalty shoot-out, is representative of the form of both clubs.
Hamburg are still very much involved in the title battle at this late stage of the Bundesliga season while Bremen are languishing in mid-table after a below-par campaign.
Jol's troops also claimed victory in their only Bundesliga meeting to date this season, and the former Tottenham boss insists his players have nothing to fear ahead of the first leg of the all-German clash at the Weserstadion.
"We have played well against them twice, beating them in the Bundesliga and drawing in the cup,'' Jol said on the club's official website.
"It is the end of April and we are still high up in the Bundesliga while Bremen are 10th.
"If things were the other way around, then I would be worried.''
The two sides meet three more times over the next fortnight with their second Bundesliga match of the season following the completion of their two-legged last-four UEFA Cup tie.
Their familiarity with each other will not tempt Jol into a change of tactics, though.
"Of course people can claim that we have to be more creative, but we are how we are,'' he added.
"And we will certainly travel to Bremen full of confidence. They have still not beaten us yet.''
Jol is without striker Mladen Petric, who is also a doubt for the second leg at the HSV-Arena next week due to a cut on his shin, while Marcell Jansen has sore ribs and could also miss out.
Alex Silva is available again after being given leave at the weekend.
All eyes will be on Bremen's playmaker Diego after the club's director of sport Klaus Allofs confirmed talks had been held with Serie A side Juventus over the possible transfer of the Brazilian this summer.
"We have spoken,'' Allofs told the Kreiszeitung Syke newspaper.
"It is only normal to talk with each other on the phone when a club is interested, but we have not started negotiations with Juventus.
"We still want to keep Diego until the end of his contract in 2011 and, if possible, for even longer.''
Diego will be leading Bremen's attack against Hamburg while Frank Baumann was back in training yesterday and expects to be fit.
Aaron Hunt and Daniel Jensen are the only confirmed absentees for Thomas Schaaf's side while Petri Pasanen is a major doubt due to a toe injury.
(Credits:Soccernet)
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