Werder Bremen vs VfB Stuttgart preview: Top six ambitions on show

Werder Bremen

Werder Bremen have endured an up-and-down start to the 2024-25 Bundesliga season, amassing four wins, three draws, and four losses from their opening 11 matches. With 17 goals scored and 22 conceded, consistency has been elusive for die Grün-Weißen.

Ole Werner's men have alternated between victory and defeat in their last four outings across all competitions. Their most recent setback came in a narrow 1-0 loss to second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, where a first-half strike from Mario Götze proved decisive.

Currently sitting 11th in the Bundesliga table, Bremen are seven points clear of the relegation zone and just four points adrift of Borussia Dortmund in fifth. A win on Saturday could propel them as high as sixth, provided other results work in their favour.

Returning to Weserstadion, Bremen will look to build on their recent 2-1 home win over Holstein Kiel, which ended a four-match winless streak on their own turf. Die Grün-Weißen haven’t managed consecutive home victories in the Bundesliga since September 2023, a drought they’ll be eager to end.

Defensive frailties remain a concern, however. Bremen have gone nine league matches without a clean sheet, the second-longest streak in the division behind Bochum (27). Sharpening up at the back will be critical if Werner’s side hopes to claim all three points this weekend.

Team News

Bremen head into the clash with a few fitness concerns, as Keke Topp is ruled out with an ankle injury, while Felix Agu (knee), Oliver Burke (calf), and Jens Stage (neck) are listed as doubtful.

In midfield, Leonardo Bittencourt and Senne Lynen are likely to continue their partnership in the absence of Agu and Stage, while wing-backs Mitchell Weiser and Derrick Köhn are expected to provide width. Up front, Marvin Ducksch, who scored twice in Bremen’s 2-1 victory over Stuttgart in April, will lead the line, supported by Marco Grüll and Romano Schmid in attack.

VfB Stuttgart

Stuttgart snapped a three-game winless streak in all competitions with a confident 2-0 victory over Bochum in the Bundesliga last weekend. However, their momentum quickly dissipated as they endured a crushing 5-1 defeat to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Despite Ermedin Demirović giving Stuttgart an early fifth-minute lead, Red Star responded with three goals by the 31st minute and added three more in the second half, handing the German side their joint-heaviest loss in Champions League history. The defeat matched a 4-0 drubbing by Barcelona back in March 2010.

Sebastian Hoeneß's men face an uphill battle in their Champions League campaign. Sitting 27th in the 36-team standings, they trail the last-16 playoff spots by two points with three matches remaining. Crucial clashes against the group’s bottom two teams, Young Boys and Slovan Bratislava await, but for now, Stuttgart’s focus shifts back to domestic matters.

Returning to Bundesliga action, Die Schwaben will aim to halt a three-game winless streak on the road and improve on their current ninth-place standing. A victory could reignite their push for a higher spot in the league table.

Encouragingly for Stuttgart, they have a strong recent record against Werder Bremen, losing just one of their last four visits to the Weserstadion. Additionally, Hoeneß's side remains unbeaten this season against teams currently ranked below them in the Bundesliga, with two wins and two draws in such encounters.

Team News

VfB are dealing with their own injury issues, with Deniz Undav (thigh), Luca Raimund (thigh), El Bilal Touré (foot), and Dan-Axel Zagadou (knee) unavailable, while Ameen Al Dakhil (illness) and Jamie Leweling (hamstring) remain doubtful.

Leonidas Stergiou could return to the starting XI at right-back, replacing Pascal Stenzel, and is expected to join Anthony Rouault, Jeff Chabot, and Maximilian Mittelstädt in a back four. 

Striker Ermedin Demirović, Stuttgart’s joint-top scorer with seven goals, will aim to end a five-game Bundesliga goal drought. His contributions will be crucial as Stuttgart look to secure points on the road.