Werder Bremen will welcome Stuttgart to Weserstadion on Saturday afternoon as both teams look to climb within the top six in the Bundesliga table. Both sides have had an inconsistent start to the season and will be desperate for crucial points that could see them go up the table.
Werder Bremen vs Stuttgart: Match Preview
Werder Bremen
So far, it has been a topsy-turvy 2024-25 campaign for the River Islanders, who have picked up four wins, three draws, and four losses in 11 Bundesliga matches. Though promising at times, Ole Werner’s side has lacked consistency. They sit 11th in the table, seven points clear of the relegation zone but just four points behind Borussia Dortmund in fifth.
Werder Bremen’s last game was a 1-0 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, with Mario Götze scoring in the first half. Although they won 2-1 against Holstein Kiel in their previous home match, the River Islanders have not won back-to-back Bundesliga games at Weserstadion since September 2023.
Werder Bremen hasn’t fared well defensively, failing to keep a clean sheet in any of their last nine Bundesliga outings. Only Bochum (27) is currently on a longer run without a shutout.
Stuttgart
Stuttgart of Sebastian Hoeness snapped a three-match winless run with a 2-0 victory over Bochum last weekend but were defeated heavily 5-1 by Red Star Belgrade in midweek Champions League action. Although Ermedin Demirovic gave Stuttgart an early lead, they capitulated in the second half to leave their knockout-stage hopes hanging by a thread.
Stuttgart, currently lying ninth in the Bundesliga table, seek to end their three-game winless away run this weekend. Promisingly, they have yet to lose to any side below them in the league this term (W2, D2) and boast a good record against Werder Bremen, losing just once in their last four visits.
Team News: Key Absences and Probable Lineups
Werder Bremen
Injuries/Doubts: Keke Topp (ankle), Felix Agu (knee), Oliver Burke (calf), Jens Stage (neck – doubtful).
Predicted Line-up: There could be a three-man backline of Veljkovic, Friedl, and Jung as support for goalkeeper Michael Zetterer. Mitchell Weiser and Derrick Kohn act as wing-backs; Leonardo Bittencourt and Senne Lynen could provide the support through central midfield. Marco Grüll and Romano Schmid may feature in support for forward Marvin Ducksch, who scored twice against Stuttgart back in April.
Stuttgart
Injuries/Doubts: Deniz Undav (thigh), Luca Raimund (thigh), El Bilal Toure (foot), Dan-Axel Zagadou (knee), Ameen Al Dakhil (illness), Jamie Leweling (hamstring).
Stuttgart could also line up with a back four of Leonidas Stergiou, Anthony Rouault, Jeff Chabot, and Maximilian Mittelstadt, as Stergiou might come in for Pascal Stenzel at right-back. The midfield two could be made up of Wataru Endo and Angelo Stiller, while Ermedin Demirovic leads the attack, supported by Fuhrich, Vagnoman, and Millot.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Werder Bremen (3-4-2-1):
Zetterer; Veljkovic, Friedl, Jung; Weiser, Bittencourt, Lynen, Kohn; Grüll, Schmid; Ducksch
Stuttgart (4-2-3-1):
Nubel; Stergiou, Rouault, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Stiller; Vagnoman, Millot, Fuhrich; Demirovic
Match Prediction:
Werder Bremen 2-2 Stuttgart
Sebastian Hoeness will want a backlash from Stuttgart after their humbling Champions League defeat, and the visitors will fancy their prospects against an inconsistent Werder Bremen side.
However, the attacking firepower of Bremen, particularly Marvin Ducksch, could bring problems to Stuttgart’s back. This will be an entertaining, high-intensity match as both teams share the spoils.
