Werder Bremen vs. RB Leipzig preview: Can Werder Bremen get back into mid-table?
Leipzig have the opportunity to go level on points with Bayern away at Bremen on Tuesday afternoon, whereas Bremen could see themselves jump eight points clear of relegation.
| Marvin Ducksch. | Photo: Silesia711, CC-by-SA 4.0 |
Werder Bremen
Werder Bremen are heading into this game with two positive results in their last two games: a draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach and a win against high-flying Augsburg.
Against Borussia Mönchengladbach, 'Die Werderaner' managed to overcome a Rocco Reitz brace to come back to draw 2-2 via a Marvin Duksch tap-in following Mönchengladbach's keeper Moritz Nicolas making an error in goal.
Ole Werner will hope top striker and newly-named German international Marvin Duksch can get back on the scoresheet as he has contributed to half (eleven) of Werder Bremen's twenty-two goals this Bundesliga campaign.
The late bloomer only has to score five more goals in this game and the second half of the season in order to equal last season's goal tally.
Following the draw to Borussia Mönchengladbach, manager Ole Werner said: "What we are missing is that we are not as consistent away as we are at home."
Team News
Left-midfielder Leon Opitz is out with an ankle problem and so is Amos Pieper. Nicolai Rapp is out with a foot injury. Naby Keïta and Niklas Stark are both doubts due to illness and a hip issue respectively.
RB Leipzig
Since the defeat to Mainz in early November, Leipzig have really turned their season around and have won four out of their last five games and qualified comfortably for the Champions League knockout rounds.
With their only loss during the period since defeat to Mainz being a narrow 2-1 loss to VfL Wolfsburg, they look like they will comfortably secure a Champions League spot should they continue this form.
In their last game, it was Leipzig legend Emil Forsberg (who has just recently announced his move to the New York Red Bulls in America) who grabbed the headlines netting what many deemed to be his last ever goal for the club in a 3-1 victory over Hoffenheim.
Other than this, Leipzig have been strong defensively and have conceded only sixteen goals so far this campaign and the new number one goalkeeper for Leipzig (Janis Blaswich) has shined for the team even since Péter Gulácsi's comeback.
Lastly, Leipzig have averaged around 2.5 goals per game this campaign and with Yussuf Poulsen back on the scoresheet for Leipzig in recent weeks this could be a high-scoring encounter.
Team News
Dani Olmo is still out with his long-term shoulder injury and so is Willi Orbán with a knee injury. The only doubt for Leipzig is whether Lukas Klostermann will play or not as he has sustained a muscular problem.