Borussia Dortmund will be keen to continue their winning streak when they take on an in-form Werder Bremen on Saturday.
An in-form Borussia Dortmund will be keen to keep their winning run going when they travel to the Wohninvest Weserstadion to take on Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Edin Terzic’s men have seen their form take a turn for the good past the World Cup. And they are currently on a six-game winning streak across all competitions. While the defence leaves much to be desired, Dortmund have been irresistible going forward, finding the back of the net consistently.
Historically, a trip to Werder Bremen has not been one of Dortmund’s kindest fixtures. They have tasted defeat at the venue 31 times in Bundesliga, only behind the 34 reversals they have experienced at the Allianz Arena.
However, they are unbeaten away to Bremen since 2014 and go into the current game as favourites. Die Werderaner are not the force of old and are back in the top flight after gaining promotion from the second division at the end of last season.
Ole Werner’s men have already upstaged their disastrous 2020-21 campaign and have picked up 27 points from their opening 19 games. This sees them sit pretty in the eighth spot and have a remote yet plausible chance of securing a European spot. A win against a high-flying Dortmund side this weekend will certainly raise such expectations.
Bremen are in a good run of form themselves, having won two Bundesliga games on the trot. With home support to boot, they will not be short of courage to take the game to Dortmund. The visitors’ defence has at times wavered under pressure and could struggle if put under early pressure.
The Hard Tackle takes a look at what could be an intriguing fixture and how both sides could line up on the night.
Team News & Tactics
Werder Bremen
Action shots 📸 ⚽#werder pic.twitter.com/wIZdL72hFR
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) February 10, 2023
Having put 11 points between them and the relegation spots, Bremen can focus on finishing as high up the table as possible this season. With two wins on the trot and home support to boot, there is every reason for Werner to be optimistic about his side’s chances on the night.
They will be without Marco Friedl who is suspended for the night, but Mitchell Weiser will return after sitting out last weekend. Manuel Mbom is currently recovering from a calf injury while Felix Agu missed training. Werner has an otherwise fully-fit squad to choose from and is likely to go full-strength in front of the home fans.
A 4-4-2 formation appears to be the plan for the day as it will allow Bremen to tinker and restructure given how the match progresses. Jiri Pavlenka should start in goal behind the quartet of Mitchell Weiser, Milos Veljkovic, Niklas Stark and Amos Pieper.
Leonardo Bittencourt and Anthony Jung will provide width, with Christian Gross and Jens Stage holding the fort in central midfield. How well the duo can shackle Jude Bellingham could set the stage as to which side controls the tempo of the game.
Niclas Fullkrug and Marvin Ducksch are likely to lead the line and put pressure on Dortmund’s defence. As long as the duo hold the ball up well and lead their markers out of position, there is a chance that Bremen can have some joy from their counterattacks.
The home side will likely seek to play on the counter and seek to hit Dortmund on the break. As long as they maintain their formation and leave the visitors frustrated, there is every chance that Terzic’s men will leave gaps open to be exploited.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Pavlenka; Weiser, Veljkovic, Stark, Pieper; Bittencourt, Gross, Stage, Jung; Füllkrug, Ducksch
Borussia Dortmund
No team has picked up more points than Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga over the last four games. And Edin Terzic’s men hold a 100 per cent record in that time frame. This has brought them back into title contention, leaving them a mere three points behind league leaders Bayern Munich.
With the UEFA Champions League tie against Chelsea to come next week, Borussia Dortmund will be keen to get the job done at the weekend as quickly as possible and rest some of their star players. As long as they ride the wave of momentum going into the game, Dortmund are the favourites and will be expected to come away with all three points.
Marius Wolf is a doubt for the game, but Dortmund have an otherwise fully-fit squad to choose from. The visitors are likely to deploy in a 4-2-3-1 formation that is dependent on the solidity in midfield. Gregor Kobel should start in goal behind the back four of Julian Ryerson, Niklas Sule, Nico Schlotterbeck and Raphael Guerreiro.
On the road again 🚌 pic.twitter.com/wzCP1OqfLb
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) February 10, 2023
Former Liverpool man Emre Can and Reds’ transfer target Jude Bellingham will form the double pivot, bringing energy, muscle and invention into the middle of the park. The former is likely to be the destroyer, while the latter can be the link between defence and attack.
Marco Reus is likely to play in the hole as the number 10 with Julian Brandt and Giovanni Reyna providing width on the flanks. A fit-again Sebastien Haller will be keen to prove himself upfront and should be a handful for the Bremen defence to contain.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Ryerson, Sule, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro; Can, Bellingham; Brandt, Reus, Reyna; Haller
Key Stats
- Werder Bremen have defeated Borussia Dortmund 31 times at home in the Bundesliga, more than any other opposition in the German top flight.
- Borussia Dortmund’s poor record away to Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga (31 Losses) is dwarfed only by their away record against Bayern Munich (34 Losses).
- Borussia Dortmund have not lost at Werder Bremen since 2014. Their current run of six away games without a defeat vs Bremen is only second to their eight-game away run against Mainz.
- With 27 points from their first 19 games, Werder Bremen are enjoying their best points return at this stage of the season since the 2010/11 campaign. They have also won more games this season than they did in the entirety of their previous Bundesliga campaign.
- Borussia Dortmund and Union Berlin are the only two sides to win all four of their Bundesliga games in 2023. The last time the former did that, they won the double in 2012.
Player to Watch
Sebastien Haller
Sébastien Haller scores his first goal for @BVB after beating cancer 💛💪 pic.twitter.com/I0ctkRttGe
— 433 (@433) February 4, 2023
The former Ajax Amsterdam man has beaten cancer and is now getting his career back on track. He got off the mark for Dortmund last weekend against SC Freiburg and will hope to keep the scoring boots on.
A strong centre-forward who is proficient both on the ground and in the air, Haller packs a punch and is capable of holding his own. He is likely to be Dortmund’s biggest goal-scoring threat on the night and is someone to keep an eye on.
Prediction
Werder Bremen 1-3 Borussia Dortmund
Only Schalke and Vfl Bochum have a worse defensive record than Werder Bremen this season. And it is difficult to see them keep a clean sheet against an inspired Dortmund side. The visitors have often been guilty of shooting themselves in the foot which could make life difficult for them on the night.
However, their superior quality should make the difference on the night. A strong second half from Edin Terzic’s men will see them firmly in control of the game and come away with all three points.
