"it sets the mood as you enter the winter break"

Fred Rutten said of todays match against 1899 Hoffenheim that:

"The final game of the first half of the season is always very important because it sets the mood as you enter the winter break."

The manager added:

"And we certainly aren't going there to see them off into the break with a good feeling. We want to get the most positive result possible. But that won't be easy."

At nineth place in the table, the final match before the break could end up being the managers final match as ownership will not tolerate falling out of European play too well.

The only absences for the match are Kevin Kurányi for Schalke and Hoffenheim might miss key man Carlos Eduardo who will be replaced by Francisco Copado. This match will be decided in the midfield as die Königsblauen will need to control play and somehow thwart Bosnia-Herzegovina international Vedad Ibišević who has been scoring for Hoffenheim at a record-setting pace. The lynch pin of this match may reside in the battle between Heiko Westermann and Andreas Beck and attacking runs of Hoffenheim being kept in-check.

Remember to stop by after the match for a full review.