Borussia Dortmund will be looking for their second win in as many league games on Saturday when they travel to Weserstadion, where they will face Werder Bremen.
The home side drew 2-2 with Augsburg on August 24 in their opening game of the 2024-25 Bundesliga season and are eighth after one matchweek, while the visitors are third with three points after beating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 on the same date.
Match preview
© Imago
The hosts initially took the lead in their first league game of the season thanks to a goal from Felix Agu in the 12th minute, but they conceded an equaliser just four minutes later, although they were hardly at fault considering the nature of Elvis Rexhbecaj's long-range strike.
Samuel Essende's goal in the 35th minute meant Werder Bremen were 2-1 down at half time, though Justin Njinmah's 58th-minute leveller was enough to secure their first point of the campaign.
The fact that both sides had 11 shots might suggest that the game was evenly contested, but the Green-Whites will be disappointed to have conceded twice considering Augsburg accumulated just 0.15 xG.
Boss Ole Werner will also be concerned that after Njinmah scored his side's second, Werder Bremen were unable to take the game to Augsburg and only registered two further shots.
The result means that Werner's team are unbeaten in their last six Bundesliga games, though they have only kept one clean sheet in their last 13 league matches.
![Coach Nuri Sahin of Borussia Dortmund smiles during his side's DFB Pokal First Round match against Phoenix Luebeck vs Borussia Dortmund, Volksparkstadion, on August 17, 2024 [on August 22, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/34/nuri-sahin.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Coach Nuri Sahin of Borussia Dortmund smiles during his side's DFB Pokal First Round match against Phoenix Luebeck vs Borussia Dortmund, Volksparkstadion, on August 17, 2024 [on August 22, 2024]")
© Imago
Opponents Borussia Dortmund come into the clash having won 2-0 in Nuri Sahin's first league game in charge, but they can count themselves fortunate to have not conceded first.
Eintracht Frankfurt's Fares Chaibi squandered a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 71st minute when he remarkably missed an open goal from the centre of the six-yard box, and his side were punished just a minute later when Jamie Bynoe-Gittens scored Dortmund's first.
Sahin's team had 70% possession and managed to produce 20 shots, 13 of which were from inside the penalty area.
BVB were more proactive in their opening game of the season compared to their time under previous coach Edin Terzic, as demonstrated by the fact they played 646 accurate passes against Eintracht Frankfurt, a figure significantly higher than their league average of 481.6 last term.
Dortmund collected 30 of their 63 points in 2023-24 away from home and in fact had the division's third-best record on the road, with only Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen bettering their return.
With that being said, Sahin's side have lost their last two Bundesliga away games, although prior to those matches they won six and drew four of the previous 10 fixtures on the road.
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Team News
![Ole Werner, coach of Werder Bremen on August 14, 2024 [on August 17, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/33/ole-werner.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Ole Werner, coach of Werder Bremen on August 14, 2024 [on August 17, 2024]")
© Imago
The hosts will likely be without Jens Stage and Milos Veljkovic, who are both said to be managing their workload after the 2-2 draw with Augsburg.
Werder Bremen will also have to contend with the absence of Amos Pieper, who is still recovering after he picked up a muscle injury at the end of July.
As for the visitors, Kjell Watjen is ruled out due to a knee injury, while Serhou Guirassy is a doubt but is close to a return.
Elsewhere, Dortmund could name a back three of Waldemar Anton, Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck in front of goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, and they could reward Bynoe-Gittens's performance against Eintracht Frankfurt with a start this weekend.
Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:
Zetterer; Stark, Friedl, Jung; Weiser, Lynen, Stage, Agu; Schmid, Ducksch; Topp
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Kobel; Anton, Sule, Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Can, Gross, Malen; Sabitzer, Brandt; Bynoe-Gittens
We say: Werder Bremen 1-2 Borussia Dortmund
Sahin has made a promising start to life as Dortmund coach, and if they continue their proactive approach on Saturday, they could create several chances.
However, it would not be surprising if Werder Bremen posed a challenge to Sahin's side considering they have been difficult to beat of late.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
