Canucks in Germany Update

[Guest Ed]

After the humiliating 7-2 defeat in Lyon on Tuesday, expect to see a fired up Werder Bremen ready to exact an ounce of flesh or two from their Bundesliga opponents FSV Mainz 05 this Saturday. Paul Stalteri and company will be looking to make up points on one of Bayern Munich or Schalke 04 (1 and 2 respectively at the top of the table) who meet on Sunday. Kicker inexplicably has Stalteri on the bench for the start of Saturday's game. I'll believe that when I see it as he has played quite well in the last few outings for Bremen and there are several candidates for benching ahead of Paul.

Meanwhile, Hannover 96 are mired in a terrible slump that fortunately for coach Ewald Lienen is coming at a time where it will not cause relegation worries. The team has been performing very poorly, both at home and on the road. Things may not get much better with a Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) derby against VfL Wolfsburg who have also seen their first half success tempered with disappointment in 2005. At least Hannover are back to a comfortable lineup, with their ideal starting back 4 healthy and available. It looks like Julian de Guzman will start in midfield.

In the Bundesliga 2, Tam Nsaliwa was not involved in 1.FC Saarbruecken's loss Monday in Koeln as he was suspended for accumulating 5 yellow cards. His team takes on Dynamo Dresden at home at Ludwigspark Stadium (weather permitting) tomorrow.

Nik Ledgerwood and 1860 Muenchen amateurs have had their Regional League South game against the Bayern Munich amateurs scheduled for tomorrow called off.

[Guest Ed]

Altogether crap weekend for the Canucks in Germany. Paul Stalteri and Werder Bremen could only manage a goalless draw with FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday. They did not make up ground on Bayern Munich who lost 1-0 to an emotional FC Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen yesterday. OT, the end of the season should be interesting in Germany as Schalke fans remember the 2000/2001 season as Bayern scored in injury time to snatch away Schalke's first ever Bundesliga title (they were top club in Germany way back before the Bundesliga was formed in 1963). Brazilians Ailton and Lincoln kept the powerhouse Bavarian club busy.

Julian de Guzman and Hannover 96 lost yet again, 1-0 at home vs VfL Wolfsburg with Julian getting his 5th yellow, meaning he misses their next game vs Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Tam Nsaliwa and 1.FC Saarbruecken also lost at home, 1-0 to Dynamo Dresden, with an apparent PK waved off.

Maycoll Canizales played 90 minutes for Hannover's amateurs in a loss to a Hamburg club in the Oberliga Nord. Only Nik Ledgerwood was on the winning end this weekend as his 1860 Muenchen amateurs won an exhibition game with their Regional League game called off.

[Guest Ed]

With injuries and suspensions depleting the squad, Maycoll Canizales is once again training with the Hannover 96 full team prior to this weekend's match vs Borussia Moenchengladbach. Hopefully MC will get a chance as the season winds down as Hannover are out of the running for a spot in Europe and almost safe from relegation.

[Grizzly]

Tam Nsaliwa played 90 as Saarbruecken lost their fourth straight to lowly Karlsruhe 4-3. Tam set up the first goal. He seems to have been moved to midfield for the last couple of games. Saarbrucken and Hannover were both surprises this year chosen by some to demotion candidates but having had very strong first halves that promised European possibilities for Hannover and promotion possibilities for Saarbruecken. Both teams have cooled off considerably but at least the strong first half put them out of relegation danger.