Allofs set for Bremen reunion

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Wolfsburg's new sporting director Klaus Allofs will come face to face with long-time colleague Thomas Schaaf when the Wolves host Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Allofs spent 13 years in a similar role at Bremen, working alongside coach Schaaf, before, little more than a week ago, surprisingly leaving for Bundesliga rivals Wolfsburg.

Allofs said he would have preferred that the fixture had been played before his move, but he insisted there would be no divided loyalties by emphasizing his total commitment to the Wolves.

"I always want to win and we want to win, so we have to score goals and, if we do that, then I will be pleased," he said.

"I don't think it's a lack of respect when you show your excitement. If Werder score, I'm certainly not going to jump up and celebrate."

Schaaf said Allofs would be entitled to be pleased if Wolfsburg scored and he hoped Bremen's fans did not jeer him.

"Let's not forget what Klaus Allofs achieved for Werder," he said. "Of course we are pleased to see him again."

They will be even happier if Wolfsburg's poor home form this season continues since a win for Bremen could take them into the top six, but Wolfsburg can join them on 17 points with victory.

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Hamburg have the first chance to break into the top six when they travel to Fortuna Dusseldorf on Friday night, but no side is in touching distance of the top five, who are starting to pull away.

League leaders Bayern Munich have an eight-point cushion of their own at the top of the table and they host sixth-placed Hannover on Saturday.

Schalke and Eintracht Frankfurt, second and third respectively, meet at the Arena AufSchalke, while Borussia Dortmund travel to the former club of their coach Jurgen Klopp, Mainz.

Fifth-place Bayer Leverkusen are not in action until Sunday when they head to Hoffenheim.

At the bottom of the table, Augsburg and Greuther Furth go in search of their second wins of the season against Borussia Monchengladbach and Nurnberg respectively, while Sunday's other game is a Baden-Wurttemberg derby between Freiburg and Stuttgart.