Borussia Dortmund Host Werder Bremen in Bundesliga Clash Amid Injury Woes

Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen Preview

On Friday, 9th October at 7:30pm BST, Borussia Dortmund will welcome Werder Bremen to Signal Iduna Park for a Bundesliga encounter. Coming off the international break, Dortmund aims to maintain their winning streak while Bremen faces a challenging squad situation.

Borussia Dortmund Team Update

Dortmund is grappling with defensive problems under coach Niko Kovač. Midfielder Emre Can remains out due to a long-term ACL injury and Filippo Mane is sidelined with a muscle tear. The attack is also thin following injuries to Giannis Konstantelias and Justin Lerma. Full-backs Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson are doubtful after knocks during international duty.

Centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck is attempting to clear a late fitness test after a training injury with the German national team. If he passes, he will join Waldemar Anton and young Joane Gadou in the back three ahead of goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. Midfield roles will likely be filled by Felix Nmecha and Joey Veerman, while Ethan Nwaneri and Fabio Silva will support striker Serhou Guirassy.

Werder Bremen Team Update

Werder Bremen faces an even tougher injury crisis with eight key players out. Their midfield is completely depleted with Jens Stage, Senne Lynen, and Skelly Alvero unavailable. Defensively, left-backs Moussa N’Diaye and Felix Agu are missing, forcing Olivier Deman into a crucial role.

Attackers Justin Njinmah, Keke Topp, and Salim Musah cannot play. Goalkeeper Karl Hein has recovered from an injury scare and is set to start. A major boost is the return of former Dortmund forward Niclas Füllkrug on loan from West Ham. He leads Bremen’s frontline alongside Marco Grüll and Eren Dinkci.

Current Form

• Borussia Dortmund: Sitting top of the Bundesliga, Dortmund is unbeaten so far with six straight wins across competitions. Their last league match ended in a narrow 1-0 win at VfB Stuttgart. Defensively, they have conceded only twice in four matches, scoring nine goals all from open play.
• Werder Bremen: After a rough 4-1 loss to Freiburg on the opening weekend, Bremen has collected seven points from nine since. Their recent results include a 3-2 home victory over Augsburg, a 3-3 draw against RB Leipzig, and a 1-1 tie at Köln. Currently eighth in the table, this marks their best Bundesliga start since 2022.

Expected Lineups

• Borussia Dortmund: Kobel; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Gadou; Svensson, Nmecha, Veerman, Beier; Nwaneri, Silva; Guirassy
• Werder Bremen: Hein; Arthur, Friedl, Pieper, Deman; Regeer, Reis; Dinkci, Chuki, Grull; Fullkrug

Broadcast Information

The match between Borussia Dortmund and Werder Bremen will be available free-to-air in the UK.