Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen Preview

After a two-week hiatus, European club football returns this Friday with Borussia Dortmund and Bremen opening Round 8 of the Bundesliga season at Signal Iduna Park.

The hosts welcome Bremen to Dortmund with a sense of regret and vengeance after their 3-2 loss to the visitors last season contributed to their title collapse. That loss came despite them holding a 2-0 advantage till the 88th minute of the game.

They have beaten Bremen 2-0 since that loss though and will fancy their chances of recording another win here given their form. Die Schwarzgelben are one of only three unbeaten Bundesliga clubs this term and are currently on a four-game winning run.

They’ve now made their best start to a campaign after seven games (W5, D2) since 2018/2019 and haven’t tasted defeat in 15 German top-flight matches overall, the longest run of any team in the league.

Edin Terzic’s side are also formidable at home having not tasted defeat at Signal Iduna Park in any competition since August last year.

By contrast, things are looking gloomy for Werder Bremen, as they have started the season with two wins and five losses from their first seven games. Their new season form stretches back with Ole Werner picking up just 21 points in 26 outings in 2023. That return means the Northerners have the lowest tally of any current Bundesliga outfit during that period (of the sides that started the calendar year in the division).

Things aren’t looking well for them on the injury front either as goalkeeper Jiří Pavlenka and Justin Njinmah, the matchwinner in their last victory, are all set to miss out due to injury.

To add to the bad omens, Werder have conceded first in six of their seven Bundesliga encounters this season (W1, L5) – losing all three matches on the road in the process – and have won only one of their last nine Bundesliga H2Hs (W1, D3, L5).

Other fixtures taking place this week in the German Bundesliga:

German Bundesliga Table