Werder Bremen captain Max Kruse was celebrating again after their 2-0 away win in Schalke. - © imago images / Chai v.d. Laage
Werder Bremen captain Max Kruse was celebrating again after their 2-0 away win in Schalke. - © imago images / Chai v.d. Laage
bundesliga

Max Kruse ready for anyone in Werder Bremen's European push

xwhatsappmailcopy-link

Werder Bremen captain Max Kruse doesn’t care who his side get in the DFB Cup draw after they saw off Schalke to reach the semi-finals.

On Wednesday Bremen made it 12 games unbeaten in 2019 after second-half goals from Milot Rashica and Davy Klaassen helped them to a 2-0 win in Gelsenkirchen.

Guido Burgstaller had hit the post for the home team before Kosovo attacker Rashica continued his fine recent form by getting his 10th goal in all competitions with a brilliant hit from distance. Former Everton midfielder Klaassen’s deft finish sealed victory for the Green-Whites, though Kruse was quick to acknowledge how difficult it had been.

“As tough as expected,” the 31-year-old told bundesliga.com. “Schalke tried everything they could to make their season a little better. That’s when you have to hold firm, even if playing wise not everything is working, and up front you’re not standing out with every touch of the ball.”

Bremen had won three league games in a row ahead of the quarter-final – including a 4-2 success against Schalke – and Kruse said that their fighting spirit was one of the keys to the latest victory.

Davy Klaassen slotted home Bremen’s second goal against Schalke from a tight angle. - imago images / Team 2

“We gave up very few chances and kept a clean sheet again,” he said. “In the decisive moments up front we scored goals.

“We scored the first goal at the right time. That was the lucky punch. At the moment we have a little bit of luck going our way. Right now it’s going very well for us, but we’ve earned it as well.”

Bremen, who beat Borussia Dortmund on penalties in the last 16, now join Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and northern rivals Hamburg in Sunday’s semi-final draw. Kruse joked that a grudge match against second-tier promotion hopefuls Hamburg would certainly appeal.

“A Nordderby in the final wouldn’t be bad,” he said. “It would be ideal! Seriously though, it makes no difference to me. We already played in Dortmund, now we’ve played at Schalke – we’ll take anything. Of course we’d also like a home game but we’ll take on any assignment. And then we’ll want to get to the final.”

Kruse, who has 14 caps for Germany, has been leading by example this season. He has a combined 10 goals and assists over the past five Bundesliga matches, a figure only Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has bettered in Europe’s top five leagues.

Kruse hopes to get the better of fifth-placed former team Borussia Mönchengladbach this weekend. - imago/Joachim Sielski

Playing just behind the front two this season, the Bremen number 10 has netted six times in his past four Bundesliga matches, bringing his total to an impressive 10 goals and eight assists in league action.

Next up is a trip to Kruse’s old team Borussia Mönchengladbach, and he is hopeful that his side will qualify for Europe come the end of the season – either through continuing their league form or by lifting the cup.

“There is no easier way,” Kruse said, when asked which would be the simpler route to booking a European place.

“But the Bundesliga ends a week earlier [than the DFB Cup final]. The best thing of course would be to have already secured a European place by the time we’re in the cup final. That would be the ideal goal.

Watch: Check out Kruse's recent brace in the 3-1 win over Mainz

“At the moment we’re in the cup semi-final and are in sixth place in the league. That’s good, but in a couple of weeks it could look different. We’re all aware that we haven’t really achieved anything yet.”

Kruse started out at Bremen and had spells with St. Pauli, Freiburg, Gladbach and Wolfsburg before returning to the four-time Bundesliga champions in 2016. Bar the DFL Supercup he won in his one season with Wolfsburg in 2015, however, he has yet to win a trophy. Now he hopes to end a barren spell for the Green-Whites, who last claimed the DFB Cup in 2009.

“I’ve never won the title, and I’ve not yet experienced the final in Berlin as a player,” he said. “Like with every other player in the team, that’s the dream. We’ll give our all to get to Berlin, to reach this goal, and to experience some glorious times with the club again.”