Bundesliga | Gameweek 12

Nov 30, 2024 at 2.30pm UK

wohninvest WESERSTADION (Bremen)

Werder Bremenvs.Stuttgart

Match preview

Werder Bremen have had a bit of an up-and-down 2024-25 season so far. They've won four times, drawn three and lost four of their opening 11 Bundesliga matches. They've scored 17 goals and conceded 22.

The River Islanders have had mixed results in their last four games across all competitions, most recently losing 1-0 away against second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt thanks to a first-half goal from Mario Gotze.

After finishing ninth in the Bundesliga table last season, Ole Werner's side is currently in 11th place this term, seven points clear of the bottom three and only four points behind Borussia Dortmund in fifth. If they win on Saturday, they could move up to sixth place, depending on how the other results go.

Werder Bremen are now preparing for a return to Weserstadion, where they ended a four-match winless run on home soil with a 2-1 success over Holstein Kiel on 9 November. It's been a while since the River Islanders won back-to-back Bundesliga games in front of their own fans – the last time was in September 2023.

If Werner's side tighten up at the back on Saturday, they'll boost their chances of success. They've failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last nine Bundesliga games. Only VfL Bochum (27) have endured a longer run without a shutout in the division.

Stuttgart ended a three-game winless run in all competitions with a 2-0 home win over Bochum in the Bundesliga last weekend. However, they have since returned to losing ways in emphatic fashion after suffering a heavy 5-1 defeat to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Red Star turned the game around pretty quickly after taking the lead in the fifth minute. They scored three second-half goals in the final 25 minutes of the match, which was pretty rough on the German team. It was their joint-heaviest defeat in the Champions League, along with a 4-0 loss to Barcelona back in March 2010.

Sebastian Hoeness's side are facing a tough challenge to make it through to the knockout stages of the Champions League. They're currently 27th in the 36-team table, two points behind the last-16 playoff positions with three games left.

Before they turn their attention to two favourable UCL fixtures against the bottom two clubs, Young Boys and Slovan Bratislava, Stuttgart will return to Bundesliga action this weekend. They'll be looking to end a three-game winless away run and climb from their current position of ninth.

There's good reason to be optimistic about success on Saturday. Die Roten have only lost one of their last four visits to Werder Bremen, and they've yet to lose to any team currently below them in the Bundesliga table this season (W2 D2).

Recent Performance

Werder Bremen Bundesliga form:LWDLWL

Werder Bremen form (all competitions):WDWLWL

Stuttgart Bundesliga form:DLWDLW

Stuttgart form (all competitions):WDLLWL

Team News

Keke Topp will be out for Werder Bremen, as he's nursing an ankle injury. Felix Agu (knee), Oliver Burke (calf) and Jens Stage (neck) are all doubtful for the game.

It looks like Leonardo Bittencourt and Senne Lynen will be playing in centre midfield again, as we're expecting Agu and Stage to be out. Mitchell Weiser and Derrick Kohn will be providing width as wing-backs.

Marvin Ducksch scored two goals in Bremen's 2-1 win against Stuttgart at home in April, so he's expected to lead the line again, with Marco Grull and Romano Schmid providing support in attack.

Stuttgart are still without four players due to injury. These are Deniz Undav (thigh), Luca Raimund (thigh), El Bilal Toure (foot) and Dan-Axel Zagadou (knee). Ameen Al Dakhil (illness) and Jamie Leweling (hamstring) are both doubtful.

Leonidas Stergiou is hoping to return to the right-back position, which would mean Pascal Stenzel is out. He could be joined in a four-man defence by Anthony Rouault, Jeff Chabot and Maximilian Mittelstadt.

Demirovic is Stuttgart's joint-top scorer this term with seven goals, but the striker has had a tough time in his last five Bundesliga games and will be hoping to end his goal drought this weekend.

Possible starting lineup

Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:

Zetterer; Veljkovic, Friedl, Jung; Weiser, Bittencourt, Lynen, Kohn; Grull, Schmid; Ducksch

Stuttgart possible starting lineup:

Nubel; Stergiou, Rouault, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Stiller; Vagnoman, Millot, Fuhrich; Demirovic