Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen: Match Preview and Team Updates

Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund host Werder Bremen at Signal Iduna Park on Friday, 9th October, with kickoff at 7:30pm BST. After the international break, Niko Kovač’s side aim to keep their strong run going.

Borussia Dortmund Team News

Dortmund faces a tough defensive challenge ahead of this match. Midfielder Emre Can remains out long-term with an ACL injury, while Filippo Mane is sidelined due to a muscle tear. Attacking options are limited after injuries to Giannis Konstantelias and Justin Lerma. Defensively, full-backs Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson are doubtful after injuries during international duty.

Centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck is trying to recover in time for a fitness test after a training injury with Germany. If fit, he will partner Waldemar Anton and young Joane Gadou in defense, guarding goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

In midfield, Felix Nmecha and Joey Veerman should control the center, with Ethan Nwaneri and Fabio Silva supporting leading striker Serhou Guirassy.

Werder Bremen Team News

Werder Bremen struggles with a large injury list, missing eight key players. Their midfield is completely depleted with Jens Stage, Senne Lynen, and Skelly Alvero ruled out. Left-backs Moussa N’Diaye and Felix Agu are injured, so Olivier Deman steps into defense.

Strikers Justin Njinmah, Keke Topp, and Salim Musah are also unavailable. Goalkeeper Karl Hein has recovered from an international scare and will start. The main positive for Bremen is former Dortmund forward Niclas Füllkrug, who recently returned on loan from West Ham and leads the attack alongside Marco Grüll and Eren Dinkci.

Recent Form

• Borussia Dortmund have won all six matches across competitions since the season began. Their last league game before the break was a 1-0 away win over VfB Stuttgart. They’ve conceded only twice in four league games, scoring nine goals exclusively from open play.
• Werder Bremen rebounded after a 4-1 opening loss to Freiburg, collecting seven points from their last nine available. They beat Augsburg 3-2 at home, drew 3-3 against RB Leipzig, and earned a 1-1 draw at Köln. Currently, they stand eighth, their best top-flight start since 2022.

Predicted 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; Füllkrug

Watching the Match

The Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen game will be broadcast free-to-air in the UK.