Werder Bremen vs Hertha BSC Berlin preview - Skripnik relishing league return

Werder Bremen coach Viktor Skripnik has welcomed the resumption of the Bundesliga campaign in an upbeat mood despite his side's precarious position in the bottom three.

Rather than fearing a relegation battle with Hertha Berlin on Sunday, he instead chose to focus on the improvements he believes his side have made over the past six weeks, buoyed by their victory over Borussia Dortmund before the winter break began.

"I'm really looking forward to getting back into action - we're all very excited," said Skripnik at a press conference.

"We've pulled together and we're looking more united. We've scored plenty of goals in our warm-up matches and found plenty of solutions."

Bayer Leverkusen are just one of the high profile teams Bremen have beaten in recent weeks and, although just friendly matches, they do suggest the northern Germany side are heading in the right direction.

"We've now got to win in the league because that would make the next weeks much easier for us," added Skripnik, who will have to do without Melvyn Lorenzen for the next few months due to a serious knee injury.

Hertha do not share Bremen's optimism having spent the winter coming to terms with a 5-0 defeat at home to Hoffenheim in their last game of 2014.

That result left Jos Luhukay's men just a point above the relegation zone going into the second half of the season.

"This is certainly not going to be a normal game," Luhukay said. "The team are going to be put to the test also psychologically.

"It's going to be important for both teams not to lose this game, but to win it."

Luhukay is without the suspended Hajime Hosogai, Salomon Kalou, who is at the African Nations Cup, and Per Skjelbred, who is injured.

Meanwhile, they sold Christoph Janker to Augsburg on Saturday, further reducing the options Luhukay has.