Werder Bremen coach Daniel Thioune has defended Hoffenheim's Alexander Prass ahead of their Bundesliga clash on Saturday. Prass was sent off in the 89th minute against Bayer Leverkusen last weekend for removing his shirt after scoring a late equaliser. "I am not a fan of this rule," said Thioune, taking the opponent's player under his wing. "The boy scored a goal in the last minute and was happy about it.
As a result, Prass will miss Hoffenheim's visit to the Weserstadion this Saturday at 15:30. Thioune stressed that the midfielder did not commit a foul or insult anyone, but merely showed his joy. From his perspective, the suspension is an unnecessary harshness. For Werder, currently sixth in the table with 12 points, the match is a chance to move on from the recent 3-2 defeat in Dortmund. Thioune's side lost the last meeting with Hoffenheim 2-0 back in January.
The absence of Prass, an attack-minded midfielder, could limit the tactical options for the visitors. For Werder Bremen, who have managed just one win, two draws and two losses in their last five matches, this is an opportunity to leverage their home strength. With Niclas Füllkrug, who has already scored eight times this season and is the team's top scorer, Werder possess a dangerous striker. Hoffenheim currently sit in tenth place, one point behind Bremen.
Thioune's comments highlight the ongoing debate around the controversial rule that punishes removing a shirt with a second yellow card. The Werder coach has clearly positioned himself on the side of the players. The direct duel on Saturday afternoon will be broadcast live on Sky. For Werder Bremen, the aim is to consolidate their positive record of three wins, three draws and one loss from seven games. The team has scored 15 goals this season but also conceded 14. Following the narrow 3-2 loss in Dortmund and the 3-2 win in Mainz, the home game on Saturday 31 October is an important task to continue their recent form of one win and two draws from the last three league matches.
This story first appeared at tagesspiegel.de
