Werder Bremen vs Dortmund Preview: Classic Encounter, Key Battle, Team News & More

Borussia Dortmund will look to take one giant leap towards securing Champions League football next season when they take to the road to face SV Werder Bremen on Sunday.

The Black and Yellows are on a high after knocking four past Bayer Leverkusen last week, but Peter Stöger's side haven't secured back to back wins in the Bundesliga for over a month.

Meanwhile, in Bremen, Bundesliga football has almost been confirmed for next season and Die Werderaner are just one win away from hitting the coveted 40 point mark this campaign.

Here's everything you need to know about the clash this weekend.

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Classic Encounter

These two sides rarely disappoint when they go head to head with each other. Having lost to Weder Bremen earlier this season, let's look back at Dortmund's last win over the Green and Whites which came last year in a seven-goal thriller.

Bremen actually took a surprise lead at the Westfalenstadion last season and it was Zlatko Junuzovic who put the visitors in front after just seven minutes. 

Late first half goals from Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had Dortmund in control of the game going into half time, but Fin Bartels brought Werder Bremen back onto level terms seconds after the restart.

Max Kruse then found a way past Roman Bürki to put Alexander Nouri's side back into the lead before they were once again pegged back by a Reus penalty. Aubameyang they dealt the killer blow for Bremen in the last few minutes of the match with a spot-kick of his own, ensuring all three points stayed in Dortmund last May.

Key Battle

Milot Rashica vs Manuel Akanji

Borussia Dortmund will have their hands full this weekend dealing with Bremen's attacking threat, but it is the potential match-up between two January signings that could settle the tie on Sunday.

Kosovo international Milot Rashica snubbed interest from elsewhere in Germany three months ago to secure a £6.3m move to Werder Bremen. The former Vitesse Arnhem winger boasts incredible pace that will cause Dortmund problems throughout the match and the 21-year-old will be eager to add to his one previous Bundesliga goal this weekend.

Former FC Basel defender Manuel Akanji will likely be the man tasked with stopping Rashica this weekend following his incredible performance at left back against Bayer Leverkusen. The 22-year-old is naturally a central player, but the Switzerland international is expected to keep club captain Marcel Schmelzer on the sidelines once again this week.

Team News

It will be much of the same for both sides this weekend in terms of injuries, with the hosts expected to see Fin Bartels sit out once again on Sunday.

Borussia Dortmund will continue to be without Michy Batshuayi, Erik Durm, Sebastian Rode, Raphaël Guerreiro and Dan-Axel Zagadou at the Weserstadion but Peter Stöger will still be confident of getting a result on their travels this weekend.

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Potential SV Werder Bremen Starting Lineup: Pavlenka,  Gebre Selassie, Veljkovic, Moisander, Augustinsson, Delaney, Rashica, Junuzovic, Eggestein, Kainz, Kruse.

Potential Borussia Dortmund Starting Lineup: Bürki, Piszczek, Sokratis, Toprak, Akanji, Götze, Weigl, Pulisic, Reus, Sancho, Philipp.

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Prediction

Werder Bremen will need to be at their best to try and claim anything this weekend, and with Die Werderaner currently on a three-game winless streak, it is unlikely that Florian Kohfeldt's side will enjoy matchday 32.

Dortmund's blistering performance against Leverkusen last week has given fans hope that their squad still has the potential to challenge Bayern Munich for the league title in the not too distant future, and the Black and Yellows will be desperate to further that belief this weekend.

Prediction: SV Werder Bremen 1-5 Borussia Dortmund

Vorschau: Werder Bremen - Borussia Dortmund

Bremen - Werder Bremen empfängt Borussia Dortmund am Sonntag (18.00 Uhr) zum Abschluss des 32. Spieltags. Der BVB will die Punkte nach der 1:2-Niederlage im Hinspiel zurückholen. Damals wurde Dortmunds Trainer Peter Bosz nach dem Spiel entlassen.

Fakten zum Spiel

• Die Bremer verloren keines der zehn Bundesliga-Heimspiele unter Florian Kohfeldt – damit stellte der Coach einen Vereinsrekord auf, denn kein anderer Werder-Trainer blieb zu Beginn seiner Amtszeit so lange ohne Heimniederlage. Für die Hanseaten ist es außerdem die längste Erfolgsserie vor eigenem Publikum seit über zwölf Jahren.

• Dortmund verlor die letzten zwei Auswärtsspiele mit 0:6 beim FC Bayern München und mit 0:2 im Derby beim FC Schalke 04. Mit drei Auswärtsniederlagen in Folge ohne eigenes Tor würde die Borussia einen Vereinsnegativrekord in der Bundesliga-Historie einstellen.

• Beide Vereine haben in dieser Saison einen Trainerwechsel mit positiven Folgen hinter sich. Florian Kohfeldt führte Werder von Rang 17 ins gesicherte Mittelfeld. Für die Borussen ging es unter Peter Stöger von Platz acht auf drei.

So könnten sie spielen

SVW: Pavlenka - Gebre Selassie, Veljkovic, Moisander, Augustinsson - Delaney - M. Eggestein, Junuzovic - Belfodil, Rashica - Kruse

BVB: Bürki - Piszczek, Toprak, Sokratis, Akanji - Weigl - Götze, Reus - Pulisic, Sancho - Philipp

Das sagen die Trainer

Florian Kohfeldt (Werder Bremen): "Es wird nicht so sein, dass wir unser Ding spielen wie immer. Es gibt mehrere Spieler in mehreren Varianten. Aber wir wollen unsere grundsätzliche Art Fußball zu spielen auch gegen den BVB beibehalten. Dortmund ist eine sehr starke Mannschaft mit brutaler individueller Qualität. Ich erwarte einen konzentrierten Gegner, der extrem gefährlich ist. Man darf denen keinen Freiraum lassen."

Peter Stöger (Borussia Dortmund): "Vom letzten Spiel her gibt es keinen Anlass über Wechsel nachzudenken. Dennoch ist auch die aktuelle Trainingswoche ausschlaggebend. Ich habe niemanden gesehen, der es nicht verdient hätte, in der Startformation zu stehen. Wir haben ein gutes Gefühl, es ist Zug drin. Die Hoffnung ist, dass wir die Leistung bestätigen können. Das ist uns bisher selten gelungen. Ich schätze uns so ein, dass wir die Qualifikation für die schaffen. Ideal wäre es mit richtig guten Leistungen. Wir haben es in der Hand, den dritten Platz zu verteidigen."

Vorschau: 1. FSV Mainz 05 - RB Leipzig

Mainz - Für den 1. FSV Mainz 05 steht ein schweres Spiel an: Mit einem Sieg wollen die Rheinhessen einen Schritt in Richtung Klassenerhalt machen. Aber RB Leipzig wird ebenso alles in die Partie werfen, schließlich geht es für das Hasenhüttl-Team um den Einzug in den Europa Pokal.

Fakten zum Spiel

• Ralph Hasenhüttl steht vor seinem 100. Spiel als Bundesliga-Trainer. Auch bei seinem ersten Bundesliga-Spiel trat der Österreicher gegen Mainz an, siegte mit Ingolstadt am 15. August 2015 bei den 05er mit 1:0.

• Bereits zwölf Mal in dieser Saison blieben die 05er ohne Tor, steht die Null vorne nun auch gegen RB, wäre dies ein neuer Vereinsnegativrekord für eine komplette Spielzeit. Mainz baut aber auf die Heimstärke, sechs der sieben Saisonsiege gab es im eigenen Stadion und zwei Heimspiele stehen noch an.

• Mainz hat nach 31 Spieltagen nur 30 Punkte auf dem Konto und damit so wenige wie nie zuvor in der Bundesliga.

So könnten sie spielen

M05: Adler - Donati, Hack, Diallo, Brosinski - Gbamin - Latza, Serdar - Öztunali, de Blasis - Muto

RBL: Gulacsi - Klostermann, Orban, Upamecano, Bernardo - Keita, Kampl - Bruma, Lookman- Werner, Augustin

Das sagen die Trainer

Sandro Schwarz (1. FSV Mainz 05):"Es gilt, am Sonntag eine besondere Atmosphäre herzustellen und die Dinge für uns zu regeln. Dabei müssen wir die Zuschauer mitnehmen. Wir haben es oft genug bewiesen. Wir haben das Ziel Klassenerhalt vor Augen. Dafür gilt es alles abzurufen!"

Ralph Hasenhüttl (RB Leipzig): "Wir haben in dieser Woche gute und harte Einheiten absolviert. Es gab zwar ein paar blaue Flecken, aber es hat den Jungs gut getan, Zeit zu haben, die vergangene Partie aufzuarbeiten. Es wird darauf ankommen, dass wir uns in den Umschaltsituationen klare Torchancen kreieren und diese dann aber auch nutzen. Wir müssen den Druck jetzt in positive Energie ummünzen. Wir wollen zeigen, dass wir auch diese schwere Phase überstehen können und in den letzten drei Spielen aus einer guten eine sehr gute Saison machen."

GERMANY: Bundesliga

	StandingsGERMANY: Bundesliga
	10:30		Mainz		RB Leipzig
	13:00		Werder Bremen		Dortmund

Premier League 17/18 Week 36: Manchester United vs Arsenal – Lineups, Preview and Prediction

Wenger takes the Gunners to Old Trafford for the final time in Sunday’s blockbuster Premier League clash

Soccer Football – Europa League – Arsenal Training – Arsenal Training Centre, St Albans, Britain – April 25, 2018 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger during training Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

16:30 BST, Sunday 29th April, Old Trafford (Manchester, England) Sky Sports

This once legendary clash may not draw the same attention as the early days of the Premier League, however, it is still a significant battle looked for in the annual fixture lists. 

With Arsenal’s continued involvement in Europe and the league’s pecking order already established, there is less at stake than some previous encounters have commanded. As Arsène Wenger’s sign-off from this fixture and Alexis Sánchez’s first game facing the opposite direction, it carries it’s own personal weight, regardless.

Manchester United will look to record their first double over the Gunners in 6 seasons, adding to a run of 10 home matches unbeaten against the London side. For Arsenal, they may have technically a bigger game waiting for them around the corner, however, they need a minimum of 10 points from their 4 remaining league games to ensure they don’t set a new lowest points total from Wenger’s 22-year reign, so a defeat on Sunday is out of the question for a manager wanting to leave signs of a legacy behind.

Last Time Out

Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur (FA Cup)

The Red Devils marched into the FA Cup final with a determined and clever performance that swept aside the Spurs. It was Tottenham who began the game aggressively, and they got their reward for this with an 11th-minute goal from Dele Alli. But while Tottenham dominated the opening 20 minutes, Mourinho and United turned the tide of momentum to seal a deserved win.

Romelu Lukaku has been United’s player in scintillating form throughout this season’s competition, however, it was Alexis Sánchez who continued his own good record in this tournament to pull the teams level. Paul Pogba brushed the unusually ineffective Mousa Dembélé off the ball to float an inviting cross for the Chilean to expertly head back across the goal and into the net.

While Eric Dier came close with a shot that licked the woodwork, it was Ander Herrera who next found his sights in line. A hard and low shot around the hour mark turned the tables and gave United the lead for the first time. It proved enough as United carefully managed closed down the game Tottenham to claim victory on the dubiously neutral Wembley turf.

Arsenal 1-1 Atlético Madrid (Europa League)

The Gunners soft under-belly was once more exposed as they gave away a weak goal late in the game to leave an uphill challenge waiting for them in Spain.  The match had begun with two quick yellow cards for Atlético defender Sime Vrsaljko to reduce them to 10 for the vast majority of this contest.

With a numerical advantage, Arsenal had the upper hand but found their opponents vigorously stubborn and a challenging proposition to break down. Alexandre Lacazette continued his recent rich vein of form with an energetic and threatening display, clipping the Madrid post before he eventually broke the deadlock just after an hour had been played.

While Arsenal were in the box-seat, they resorted to type by refusing to do things the easy way. Having looked set to take a narrow lead into the 2nd leg, a long ball launched into the Arsenal half near the end of the match proved to be their undoing. 

Shkodran Mustafi’s clearance got as far as his own face before Antoine Griezmann took possession to shirk off the attentions of Laurent Koscielny before landing his side what could be a valuable away goal. The slumped shoulders of Arsenal players leaving the pitch told everything that needed saying as Wenger’s side were made to pay for their earlier inability to beat Jak Oblak.

Manchester United Lineup

Mourinho again has a near full squad to choose from with only Sergio Romero (knock) unavailable this weekend. Despite a wealth of options, he could well field an unchanged team from the side who beat Tottenham as he looks to build momentum ahead of the FA Cup final next month.

Arsenal Lineup

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is recovering well from his knee injury but is not expected to make the starting lineup against his former club, however, could make an appearance from the bench this weekend. Mohamed Elneny (ankle) will not feature though, either will 

Santi Cazorla who is still fighting back from a devastating Achilles injury.

Key Battle: David de Gea (Manchester United) vs Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal)

The reverse fixture saw the United keeper in inspired and possibly his greatest form to prevent near-certain goals for the Gunners more than once. With Arsenal looking more open and attacking against West Ham, there’s a chance they will again go for United’s jugular in this match. With 17 clean sheets already to his name this Premier League season, De Gea is favourite to claim the golden glove award which will be the first time he has won this accolade.

Since returning from injury, Lacazette has been in scintillating for the Gunners. 7 goals in as many appearances (4 Premier League, 3 Europa League) has not only been his best return in an Arsenal shirt, its what many fans had hoped and expected following his £50m unveiling last summer. With only 1 goal from the 11 appearances before this injury, the French striker finally looks to have arrived in North London.

Talking Points

An upward curve

Whatever your opinion on José Mourinho’s current Manchester United team, it’s hard to dispute their effectiveness. Victory over the Gunners will secure Champions League football next season, stretch their 2nd place advantage over Liverpool to 5 points and a game in hand, and be the 5th successive win against teams placed in the top six. 

Having collected 5 more points than last season already, United are surely improving in the grand scheme of things while an FA Cup final on the horizon still leaves them a chance of claiming silverware this season. It’s now 5 years since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped back from the dug-out at Old Trafford and only now are United close to the level which became a standard during the Scotsman’s reign.

What about Arsène?

Since Arsenal’s announcement that Wenger will step down from his position at the end of the season, there has been much written and talked about regarding his successor. While many high-profile talking heads have stopped to give praise and adulation on Wenger the manager and Wenger the person, few have mentioned anything about Wenger’s future.

While it seems almost impossible to imagine Wenger in charge of a different Premier League side, there are many options lying open to him. Whether a European-based club, a national team manager or a different role in the sport, plenty of clubs and organisations will be tempted by his availability. The more pressing question is perhaps whether he takes a sabbatical or if the 68-year-old plunges straight back into the beautiful game.

Prediction: Manchester United 2-0 Arsenal

Arsène Wenger will want nothing less than victory in what might be his last game against both Manchester United and José Mourinho, two rivalries which have contributed high and low points to his 22-year reign at Arsenal. With the semi-final against Atlético Madrid in the corner of their eye and a dismal away record blemishing 2018, this could prove to be another victory for the mechanically efficient Red Devils.

(Photo Credit: Reuters/Andrew Couldridge)

Premier League 17/18 Week 36: West Ham United vs Manchester City – Lineups, Preview and Prediction

City can equal Chelsea’s record of 30 league wins with a trip to London to take on a Hammers side who are still far from safe

Soccer Football – Premier League – West Ham United vs Stoke City – London Stadium, London, Britain – April 16, 2018 West Ham United manager David Moyes speaks with match official Craig Pawson Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

14:15 BST, Sunday 29th April, London Stadium (London, England) Sky Sports

The Hammers will have watched the teams below them reduce the gap to relegation yesterday. While they’re not in imminent danger, it looks like they will need more points to assure their survival. A trip to the Premier League’s new champions is perhaps not the game they would choose this weekend, however, anything other than defeat will be taken as a bonus.

Having ruthlessly demolished Swansea last weekend, Manchester City continue their victory lap in the Premier League looking to break new grounds as champions. Two or more goals this weekend will see them crash through the 100 goals scored barrier while a win will move them up to 93 points with 3 more fixtures still to play. With no cup distractions City will have their sights firmly fixed on these 4 remaining games which could prove bad news for David Moyes’ team this weekend.

Last Time Out

Arsenal 4-1 West Ham United (Premier League)

A late collapse undid all of West Ham’s hard work as 3 goals in the final 10 minutes left a cruel and unfair note in the history books. West Ham were arguably the better side during a first half which had plenty of action if not any goals. Cheikhou Kouyate watched his header bounce back off the woodwork while Marko Arnautovic proved a menace that the Gunners defence just about kept on top of.

The second half failed to see the Hammers perform to the same levels and Arsenal took charge of the game. Arnautovic struck back to equalise once the Gunners had taken the lead and as the match approached its final stages West Ham seemed capable of securing an important point. However, with Aaron Ramsey’s 82nd-minute goal the Hammers lost their concentration. Two more goals quickly followed and West Ham left the pitch almost shell-shocked.

Manchester City 5-0 Swansea City (Premier League)

City’s first match as champions-proper saw them deliver a crushing defeat to the Swans in a one-sided game. Swansea could not live with the slick passing and fluid movement of their opponents as the home team tore through them. 

Raheem Sterling was back to his best with an assist and a goal in the first half before he won a penalty against Federico Fernandez after the interval. Gabriel Jesus continues to have mixed fortunes since replacing the injured Sergio Agüero in the team. The Brazilian spurned the second half penalty which Bernardo Silva converted from Lukasz Fabianski’s save, however, Jesus scored just before the final whistle.

There was little else for City fans to worry about in this game with their team in total command of proceedings. With Ben Mendy making a cameo from the bench as he resumes his recovery from a long-term knee problem, the game ended on a positive note as the fans celebrated loudly when full-time finally put the Swans out of their misery.

West Ham United Lineup

Joe Hart cannot face his parent club which will mean a return to the team for Adrián in goal. Outfield, Winston Reid (knee) Sam Byram (ankle) and James Collins (hamstring) are missing from defence while Pedro Obiang (knee) and Michail Antonio (hamstring) are also unavailable.

Manchester City Lineup

Guardiola will still be without both John Stones (groin) and Sergio Agüero (knee) but otherwise has a fully-fit squad ahead of this match.

Key Battle: João Mário (West Ham United) vs David Silva (Manchester City)

One of the forgotten men in the Hammers squad could play a key role in their chances this weekend. After joining on loan from Inter Milan in January, João Mário is yet to capture the headlines, however, he has quietly improved the Hammers first team. Often played out of position in a left-forward or “number 10” role rather than his preferred central midfield berth, Mário often looks slow and off-the-pace. It was in this forward position that he scored his only goal so far against Southampton, a game in which he excelled, and hints that there’s much more to follow from the Portuguese attacker.

Such is the wealth of talent in Manchester City’s squad, it’s easy to overlook the contribution made by Silva. His midfield creativity and ability to regain and keep possession plays a crucial role in his side’s overarching gameplan and he will be integral in this fixture too. With 4 goals and 2 assists recorded over his last 6 matches against West Ham, he could come to the fore in a more telling way on Sunday.

Talking Points

3 plans for the price of 1

When these two teams met at the Etihad in December’s reverse fixture, it took a late goal for City to finally clinch the victory. West Ham’s backs-to-the-wall tactics almost paid dividends and Moyes will be looking at a similar approach in this game.

The West Ham manager conceded in his pre-game press conference he not only expects the visitors to enjoy more possession and shots throughout this fixture, he also sees Guardiola’s side being able to work around the system West Ham use to thwart them. The Hammers will take several gameplans into this match and look to keep changing their style of play to prevent City building up a telling weight of momentum. Whether this can work for the full 90 minutes this time around remains to be seen.

No go, Joe

Joe Hart may not feature for either team this weekend but the former City number 1 is still held in high regard by the blue half of Manchester. Pep Guardiola made replacing the keeper one of his first moves in joining City. It was an unpopular choice, however, it’s ultimately proven to have been correct both in opening up City’s possession game and for shedding a keeper who’s career is in decline.

Despite a return to West Ham’s first team and several impressive and important saves, there appears little chance that Hart will be England’s first choice in Russia this summer. With his future in doubt after a failed move to Serie A last season, the 31-year-old will receive a warm welcome as he takes his place on the bench this weekend.

Prediction: West Ham United 0-3 Manchester City

West Ham have proved tricky opponents to the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham this season, however, Manchester City could be a step too far for them. City are in fine form and looking to prove themselves after their cup exits. For a side who have scored 9 goals without reply from their previous 2 visits to the London Stadium, the warning signs look ominous for West Ham this weekend.

(Photo Credit: Reuters/John Sibley)

ENGLAND: Premier League

	StandingsENGLAND: Premier League
	10:15		West Ham		Manchester City
	12:30		Manchester United		Arsenal