Werder Bremen play against Hannover 96 on Saturday September 18^th at 3:30 pm (local time) in Bremen. 

This is a significant match for Canadian soccer fans, as they will be able to see two Canadian Internationals face off in topflight European soccer.  Julian de Guzman (23) of Hannover 96, and Paul Stalteri (26) of Champions Werder Bremen both hope to receive starting positions in the North Derby match on Saturday.

Julian de Guzman and Paul Stalteri, both originally from the Greater Toronto Area, have worked hard to secure their positions at their clubs in the German Bundesliga.  They are both very dedicated and hard working individuals who have been able to establish themselves in one of the elite leagues of Europe.

Since his debut in 2000, Paul Stalteri has been a key player for Werder Bremen.  His ability to play various positions has given him the nickname of “Allrounder” among Werder Bremen Fans.

Julian de Guzman has played an integral role at Hannover 96 as they have worked hard to secure their position in the Bundesliga after being promoted two years ago.

Since being promoted to the Bundesliga, Hannover has been able to maintain an even record with Werder Bremen.  They have one win, one loss and two ties.  “We have played against each other a few times before and it is always interesting to play against a fellow Canadian”, says Paul Stalteri.  This will be the only such match in the Bundesliga until Christmas as de Guzman and Stalteri are the only Canadian Internationals currently playing in the Bundesliga.

Paul Stalteri normally plays fullback for Werder Bremen while Julian de Guzman plays central midfield.  “Most often than not we won’t be playing against each other in a one on one battle.  He is a difficult player for us to contain because he is very skillful, fast and he keeps his team in possession.  He is definitely a player that we have to keep an eye on”, says Paul Stalteri.

After losing three games in a row, Champions Werder Bremen are under pressure to produce a win this weekend at home.  They will be without Frank Baumann and Angelos Charisteas after they both sustained injuries in Werder’s Champions League loss to Inter Milan. 

Hannover currently stands in 17^th place with 2 points with a game in hand, while Werder is in 6^th place with 6 points.