Athletic Bilbao vs Werder Bremen
Athletic Bilbao
Werder Bremen
vs
Wednesday 16th December 2009
Venue: San Mames
Kick-off: 20:05
Score: 0 - 3
Duo battle for first place
Top spot in Group L is the prize on offer to already-qualified duo Athletic Bilbao and Werder Bremen in the clash at San Mames.
Bremen hold the upper hand heading into the game as they boast a three-point lead over Athletic at the top of their standings and also downed the Basque side 3-1 in the first meeting between the pair in Germany.
That means Athletic will have to win the match 2-0 or by three clear goals if they are to leapfrog last season's UEFA Cup finalists and earn a potentially more favourable draw in the last 32, when teams such as Liverpool, Juventus and Atletico Madrid join the competition after being knocked out of the Champions League.
Athletic will fancy their chances of sneaking top spot, though, as they are in a rich vein of form that has seen them win five of their last nine competitive matches, losing just once, since suffering a run of six defeats in eight games - including that previous loss to Bremen.
Joaquin Caparros' side also contains the leading scorer in this season's Europa League group stage in Fernando Llorente, whose brace in the 3-0 win at Austria Vienna last time out took him up to six, two clear of his nearest challengers.
The Spain hitman said: "It's a game for all the team to enjoy what we have achieved so far. We've reached the last round having already qualified, which is very big for the fans and us.
"There is no better way to enjoy it than by giving our best, being aggressive and putting them under pressure. We are going out to beat them."
He added: "It's a very important year, an opportunity to do something great in Europe. Things are going well for us in the competition."
Bremen saw their 23-game unbeaten streak come to an end with a 2-0 defeat to Schalke on Saturday, but are now preparing to start another positive run.
"We have already forgotten about the weekend and are now focusing on the coming game," said coach Thomas Schaaf.
"We are at the top and it would be nice to finish as group winners, but our priority is to play a good game."
With qualification already secured, Schaaf may rest a few players to keep them fresh for the final Bundesliga fixture of the year against Hamburg on Sunday.
Sebastian Boenisch and Philipp Bargfrede are both certain to miss out due to injury while Naldo is not match-fit, which is why he will probably only be on the bench.
"We have got to see whether it makes any sense playing him," said Schaaf, who yesterday committed himself to a new two-year contract, which will take his reign in charge up to almost 15 years. "It is possible that one or two (regulars) don't start."
