Werder Bremen will host Union Berlin in the Bundesliga as both teams are on losing streaks. Union Berlin is on a nine-game losing streak in all competitions. Both teams enter their encounter with six points from eight games combined.
Preview (Werder Bremen vs. Union Berlin)
Werder Bremen is also having a bad run of play; with their 1-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund on Friday. They have only managed to pick up three points from their previous five games. Four of which have resulted in losses. At the Westfalenstadion, Die Werderaner would not have predicted to escape defeat. In the end, Julian Brandt’s goal in the 67th minute proved to be the difference between the two teams. Ole Werner might have even been pleased by his team’s defensive discipline in the defeat. His team had allowed 12 goals in their previous four games.
Eight of those came in 4-2 losses to recently promoted teams SV Darmstadt 98 and Heidenheim. It could prove to be costly at the conclusion of the season. It is safe to say that Werner’s team is gearing up for a relegation fight this season. They finished the last one in a terrible slump, winning just one of their final 12 league games. In order to create a bit more distance between themselves and the bottom three, Werner and his players will see this weekend’s opponents as a real opportunity to cause even more pain.
It is virtually unthinkable that Union Berlin would endure a losing run of more than ten games after qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history after four incredible seasons in the Bundesliga. But that’s precisely what Urs Fischer’s team will have to deal with when they go to Bremen on Saturday. They have already dropped their first three games in Europe’s top competition and six straight league games. Last weekend, Die Eisernen became the latest team to lose to high-flying Stuttgart. Serhou Guirassy’s team defeated Napoli 1-0 at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei. It extended his goal tally to an incredible 14 goals in eight league games. Fischer’s team also lost to Napoli 1-0.
Team News
Due to injury, Werder Bremen will continue to be without Jari Pavlenka, Naby Keita, Amos Pieper, and Niklas Stark. The four players will have to work quickly to get back into the lineup before the impending international break in November. Rafael Santos Borre is expected to replace Dawid Kownacki in the hosts’ assault, which will be spearheaded by Marvin Ducksch, who should recover from a recent cold. While Issa Laidouni may start to add more energy in midfield, Union Berlin will most likely start Kevin Behrens back in the starting lineup after shockingly starting their joint-highest goalscorer on the bench against Napoli in midweek.
Because of Andras Schafer’s persistent foot injury and the likelihood of knocks sidelining full-backs Josip Juranovic and Jerome Roussillon, the team will likely need to use Robin Gosens and club captain Christopher Trimmel again in the wide zones. Fischer has benched Italy legend Leonardo Bonucci in the past two games, seemingly due to mounting rumors of animosity with his new manager.
Werder Bremen 1 – 2 Union Berlin
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