Tight at the Top

Werder Bremen warmed up for Tuesday's titanic Champions League tussle with Barcelona by moving to the top of the Bundesliga with a 3-1 win over Hertha Berlin on Saturday.

Bremen need a point against Barcelona on Tuesday but three were required against Hertha and the title hopefuls delivered thanks to a stellar display from German international Miroslav Klose.

Klose, top-scorer at the World Cup, scored twice to take his season's tally to 10 and show Barca he is in top form.

Brazilian playmaker Diego had opened the scoring with a penalty after Josip Simunic, who also scored Hertha's goal, had handled in the area. "It is a dream for every footballer to play in a game like the one we have with Barcelona," said Diego. "Two great teams are playing one another at the highest level and neither is the favorite. Barcelona are at home but we only need a point. It will be terrific."

Schalke miss the chance to go top

Bremen replaced Schalke 04 at the summit and remained in top slot after the Gelsenkirchen club could only manage a 0-0 draw away at Nuremberg. The two teams are now equal on points but Bremen's superior goal difference keeps them in the tightest of leads.

Champions Bayern Munich lost ground on Bremen after a 1-1 home draw with lowly Borussia Mönchengladbach and now trail the leaders by three points.

"We put a lot of pressure on Gladbach and had lots of chances but the ball did not want to go in," explained Bayern coach Felix Magath. "We have dropped two points and now it will be tough to be top of the table at Christmas."

Bayern off the pace as winter break beckons

Argentine Martin Demichelis headed Bayern ahead on 23 minutes but Michael Delura equalized 10 minutes later. Gladbach held on for the point to delight manager Juup Henyckes, who won the German title as Bayern coach in 1989 and 1990.

Bayern now turn their attention to Tuesday's match with Inter Milan in the Champions League where they aim to secure top spot in the group.

But most neutral fans in Germany will be tuning in to the Bremen match with the 2004 champions needing a point at Barcelona's intimidating Nou Camp stadium to eliminate the holders and join Chelsea in the last 16 phase of the competition.

As it stands four teams - Bremen, Schalke, Bayern and Stuttgart, who drew 0-0 with Mainz 05 on Friday, all have the chance to go into the six-week winter break as league leaders.

In 10 of the last 12 seasons the 'winter champions' have gone on to win the Bundesliga with the two exceptions being Schalke in 2001 and Bayer Leverkusen in 2002.

Dortmund win as coach announces departure in 2007

Elsewhere Borussia Dortmund recorded a 1-0 win over VfL Wolfsburg with Ebi Smolarek scoring the winner in the 90th minute.

After the match under-pressure Dortmund coach Bert van Marwijk confirmed that he would be leaving the German giants by mutual consent at the end of the season, despite having a contract until June 2008. "We have decided to go our separate ways at the end of the season," said van Marwijk.

SV Hamburg boss Thomas Doll is another manager feeling the heat after a 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers VfL Bochum on Saturday that keeps the club second from bottom.

"I think I have talked about my future over the past few weeks so there is nothing more to say," declared Doll. "We are in a difficult situation but we can come through it."

Hamburg in dire straits as skipper sees red

Zvjezdan Misimovic produced a magical free-kick on 70 minutes to down Hamburg, who had Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart sent off for a brutal tackle from behind.

"Van der Vaart's tackle is not acceptable. He is our captain and must lead by example," added Doll. "I will have a chat with him about it."

Hamburg are the only founding club never to have been relegated from the Bundesliga but need to turn things around soon to preserve that record.