Dortmund Eye Fifth Straight Win
Borussia Dortmund will look to extend their flawless start to the Bundesliga season when they host Werder Bremen on Friday night. The highly anticipated fixture is set for a 20:30 CET kick-off at the iconic Westfalenstadion.
Under the guidance of manager Niko Kovač, Dortmund have enjoyed a perfect opening to their campaign, securing four wins from four matches so far. This impressive run has seen them establish a strong position at the top of the league standings, underlined by their defensive solidity which includes three clean sheets during this period.
Historically, Dortmund boast a formidable record on Friday nights, remaining unbeaten in such fixtures for over two decades. Furthermore, they have only lost to Werder Bremen twice on home soil in their last ten Bundesliga encounters, adding to their confidence ahead of this clash.
However, the hosts will be without key midfielders Emre Can, who is sidelined with an ACL injury, and Filippo Mane, suffering from a thigh issue. Both are confirmed absentees for the upcoming clash. While there have been questions regarding the availability of other players, Can and Mane are the only confirmed omissions.
Werder Bremen’s Challenge
Werder Bremen, led by manager Daniel Thioune, face a significant challenge as they travel to Dortmund. The international break proved difficult for Die Werderaner, who suffered a chastening 7-0 defeat to Dutch side FC Twente in a friendly match, a result that will undoubtedly concern the coaching staff.
Despite this friendly setback, Bremen have shown resilience in the league, accumulating eight points from their opening fixtures. Their recent league form includes a notable comeback victory in mid-September, where they overturned a two-goal deficit to beat FC Augsburg 3-2, largely thanks to the performance of Marco Grüll.
Bremen’s squad will also be significantly depleted for the fixture. Felix Agu, who recently picked up another muscular calf injury, is unavailable alongside midfielders Skelly Alvero (calf), Jens Stage (thigh), and Senne Lynen (groin). Former Dortmund talent Justin Njinmah (thigh) is also expected to miss out, while Keke Topp (ACL) will not feature, presenting a considerable selection headache for Thioune.
As Dortmund aim to maintain their perfect record and solidify their league position, Werder Bremen will be eager to put their friendly disappointment behind them and secure a vital result against the league leaders, despite their injury woes.