Werder Bremen vs Bayer Leverkusen Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Both these two teams were beaten in round one, so expect an open game as both Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen look for that first victory.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – ESPN

How to watch online: UK – Not streamed / US – ESPN+

Werder Bremen preview: Defensive disaster 

Werder Bremen’s backline endured a difficult afternoon in their first Bundesliga game of the season, as they were outplayed by the attacking verve of Eintracht Frankfurt. Two goals down at half time, it didn’t get better for Werder in the second half as they conceded mere minutes after the restart.

Whilst they pulled one back, Eintracht put the final nail in their coffin with 20 minutes to go, securing a 4-1 triumph. Werder simply must improve defensively or it could be another tough encounter for them here.

Bayer Leverkusen preview: Ten Hag debut spoiled

Erik ten Hag was left shocked as his first Bundesliga fixture in charge of Bayer Leverkusen was spoiled by Hoffenheim. Appointed to replace Xabi Alonso, it all started so well for the Dutchman as new signing Jarrell Quansah gave the 2023-24 Bundesliga champions the lead at the BayArena, heading home from an Alejandro Grimaldo set-piece.

But Hoffenheim rallied, coming from behind to score twice without reply and Leverkusen could not break them down, falling to a 1-2 defeat at home. Most worrying was their lack of creativity and cutting edge with just seven shots and two on target.

Werder Bremen team news: Lengthy injury list

Werder Bremen are without the number of players heading into this game. Max Wober is out injured, as is Jens Stage and Mitchell Weiser. Deman, Friedl and Malatini are all missing as well.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Backhaus; Sugawara, Stark, Coulibaly, Agu; Bittencourt, Lynen; Njinmah, Schmid, Mbangula; Grull

Unavailable: Deman (Injured), Friedl (Injured), Malatini (Injured), Stage (Injured), Weiser (Injured), Wober (Injured)

Questionable: Pieper (Injured)

Bayer Leverkusen team news: Wait over attacking players

The visitors face an anxious wait over the trio of Jonas Hofmann, Exequiel Palacios and Malik Tillman. All three are injury doubts heading into this one and to lose any of them would be a big blow.

Predicted XI (3-4-3): Flekken; Quansah, Bade, Tabsoba; Arthur, Andrich, Palacios, Grimaldo; Tella, Schick, Maza

Unavailable: Belocian (Injured), Terrier (Injured)

Questionable: Hofmann (Injured), Palacios (Injured), Tillman (Injured)

Werder Bremen vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction

Werder Bremen have reason to be optimistic heading into this contest with them being at home and taking on vulnerable opposition, who like them did not look the most comfortable defensively on the opening weekend of the season. Don’t be surprised to see Werder aggressively take the game to Bayer Leverkusen from an attacking standpoint, pushing bodies forward in bulk.

Erik ten Hag must find a way to improve his side’s offensive output after the Hoffenheim loss and with the players at his disposal, you would expect at least an improvement in production, especially when they have a striker as good as Patrik Schick leading the line. All signs point to a goal-fest between these two sides and backing both teams to score as well as over 2.5 goals has to be favoured.

Werder Bremen vs Bayer Leverkusen tip: Over 2.5 goals and both teams to score