Werder Bremen and Mainz 05 will meet in the Bundesliga, both searching for their first win. Following their opening losses, Werder Bremen currently holds the lowest position in the standings. Going into the weekend’s games, Mainz has one win and one loss.
Preview (Werder Bremen vs. Mainz 05)
Werder Bremen started life back in the Bundesliga with a bang during the early months of last season. In fact, since early February, Ole Werner’s team has only earned nine points from their last 17 league games. Their most recent 1-0 loss to Freiburg was their 10th straight setback. Maximilian Philipp, who coincidentally spent last season on loan at Werder Bremen, shattered his old club’s hearts by scoring a thrilling winner in the sixth minute of injury time to prevent Die Werderaner from earning an outstanding draw against their Europa League opponents.
Given that they were also eliminated by Viktoria Koln from the DFB-Pokal, Werner and his team will be anxious to rebound with a victory over Mainz on Saturday. Going into the international break with four losses in a row would undoubtedly indicate a season of fighting for survival. However, Mainz shouldn’t be very concerned about that possibility given that they have finished in the top half of their respective leagues in each of their first two full seasons under the direction of Bo Svensson, 44, who saved them from relegation after taking over in January 2021.
Svensson will be well aware that it may be challenging to make a lightning strike three times in a row given that all of the teams that finished above them in the table have spent more money than them thus far during the summer transfer window, with the exception of Freiburg. After losing 4-1 to Union Berlin in the first game, Die Nullfunfer managed to draw 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt. However, given that Mainz had led 1-0 when Ansgar Knauff was sent off in the 61st minute. Omar Marmoush’s injury-time equalizer would have been a major letdown for Die Nullfunfer.
When Svensson and his team arrive at Weserstadion on Saturday, they will recognize a fantastic opportunity to secure their first league victory of the year given their opponents’ dismal start to the season and far longer run of subpar play.
Team News
Due to a groin ailment, Werder Bremen will continue to be without their new midfielder Naby Keita. The former Liverpool player hopes to make his debut against Heidenheim following the international break. Milos Veljkovic should recover from illness after missing the loss to Freiburg. He may slot straight back into the center of the hosts’ defensive unit. Felix Agu is still out with a knee injury. The absence of Ludovic Ajorque, Maxim Leitsch, Silvan Widmer, and Jonathan Burkardt from Mainz due to injury significantly restricts Svensson’s options.
Karim Onisiwo missed his team’s tie against Freiburg due to the flu. He could join Stefan Bell in returning to the starting lineup for the visitors. The former Denmark defender will be hoping for his return. After losing both of their first two games, neither team is likely to be overly confident. Given that both managers use similar formations, there may be some amount of canceling one other out. We may envision a share of the spoils between two sides who should have enough about them to avoid being automatically demoted because both teams’ offensive units are of sufficient quality to deliver an exciting enough match.
Werder Bremen 1 – 1 Mainz 05
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