Diego wants German Cup in last game for Bremen

Diego hopes to celebrate his departure from Werder Bremen with the German Cup title.

The Brazilian playmaker will play his final game for Werder in Saturday's final against Bayer Leverkusen at Berlin's Olympic stadium.

After three season in Bremen that made him one of the top players in the Bundesliga, Diego is leaving for Juventus.

"This is the most important game in my entire life, not only in Bremen," Diego said. "I am very happy that I have the opportunity to give something back for all the affection that I've received in Bremen."

"I am highly motivated and I will give it all I have in Berlin."

The 24-year-old Diego was suspended when Werder played the UEFA Cup final last week, losing 2-1 to Shakhtar Donetsk. In the Bundesliga, Werder finished 10th and winning the German Cup would open a way to get into the Europa League, the rebranded UEFA Cup.

Although he has been an outstanding presence in the Bundesliga, Diego has not won a title with Thomas Schaaf's team in three seasons since arriving from FC Porto.

Werder won the German double in 2004, the same year it won the last of its five German Cup titles.

"It's difficult for me to leave Bremen behind. These were three great years, the best years of my life. No matter what happens, Bremen will always remain in my heart," Diego said.

For both Werder and Leverkusen, Saturday's final is the last opportunity to salvage a season gone wrong.

Leverkusen led the Bundesliga by one point under first-year coach Bruno Labbadia at one stage, but the young team slumped later in the season and finished ninth.

Werder, which had made it into the Champions League for five straight seasons, never recovered from a horrendous start in the championship.

Both teams had notable successes in the German Cup, however. Leverkusen beat holder Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, while Bremen was the only team to beat Wolfsburg at home this year, winning 5-2, also in the quarterfinals.

Wolfsburg, however, sealed its first Bundesliga title by thrashing Werder 5-1 on the final day of the season, only three days after the UEFA Cup final.

"We were completely empty, especially mentally," Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese said. "No wonder, after 54 games and such a disappointment as the defeat against Donetsk. But we've had some rest now and the final itself is enough to motivate us."

Wiese and Leverkusen goalkeeper Rene Adler had to miss Germany's tour of Asia because of the final. Both are competing to become Germany's No. 1 at next year's World Cup, although that post now belongs to Hannover's Robert Enke.

"The championship is behind us and now we have the chance of ending the season with a title," Adler said. "We should forget the Bundesliga. We want the title so that we can get into an international competition."

Leverkusen's only German Cup title came in 1993. It was runner-up in 2002.