Werder Bremen will be without injured striker Claudio Pizarro for Saturday's northern derby at Hamburg SV.
The Peruvian international picked up a thigh muscle problem against Hanover 96 last week.
"We hoped he could make it as the injury did not look too bad (at first). But playing him would be too big a risk," coach Thomas Schaaf told reporters on Thursday.
Werder, one point off the Bundesliga relegation playoff spot, are in desperate need of a win.
