Werder Bremen took a step towards the UEFA Cup last four when Diego struck twice in a 3-1 win over Udinese in their quarter-final first leg.

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The Brazilian playmaker, linked in the Italian media with a close-season move to Juventus, was given too much space on the edge of the box and fired in an angled drive after 34 minutes.

He curled in a shot from inside the area following more toothless defending midway through the second half and Hugo Almeida soon bagged a third after racing clear.

Udinese, Serie A's last representatives in Europe, netted late on when striker Fabio Quagliarella slammed the ball home after a goalmouth scramble to give them some hope.

The visitors deserved their goal, with Quagliarella missing three other second-half chances, but they will have to show much more guile if they are to have any chance of turning the tie around in the second leg in Udine.

"They scored almost 100 percent of their chances," Udinese coach Pasquale Marino told La7 television.

"It's not finished - the goal at the end has reopened the game. I think we have a chance of going through."

Werder, who eliminated AC Milan in the first knockout round, also went close when Naldo rattled the bar from distance but at times it was easy to see why both sides are languishing in mid-table in their respective leagues.

A minute's silence was held before kick off for the victims of Italy's earthquake and the players wore black armbands.