Borussia Dortmund host Werder Bremen at the Signal Iduna Park in the Bundesliga on Saturday as club football resumes after over two weeks of international games.
The BVB are looking to continue from where they left off, winning their opening four games to collect a maximum of 12 points and reside at the top of the league table.
It's been their best start to a top-flight campaign since the 2015-16 season and now come into tomorrow's clash determined to make it five wins from their opening five games for the first time in 13 years.
However, it sounds easier than done, with many of Dortmund's first-team stars coming from an exhaustive run of international games that also involved traveling, while Nico Schlotterbeck and Julian Ryerson returned injured.
Werder Bremen will be looking at this as a nice opportunity to throw a spanner in their works and pick up their third win of the Bundesliga season, altough they don't have a good head-to-head record against the Prussians in recent times.
But following a crushing 4-1 loss to Freiburg on the opening day, the River Islanders turned their fortunes around by going their next three without a loss, winning twice. On-loan forward Niclas Fullkrug has been vital to their fortunes, netting in each of their last three league games as the Germany international must be relishing the prospect of facing his former side tomorrow.
Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen Team News
Emre Can isn't expected to return before 2027, while Giannis Konstantelias is also out for a long time. Besides, Filippo Mane is also nursing a muscle problem whereas Schlotterbeck is doubtful after sustaining a knock in Germany training a few days ago. Ryerson is also unlikely to feature.
Justin Lerma also has a muscle injury and will be unavailable.
Bremen too are hard-pressed with some of their players out injured, such as Moussa N'Diaye has groin issue, while Felix Agu is nursing a calf problem. Jens Stage (thigh), Senne Lynen (groin) and Skelly Alvero (calf) are unavailable too.
Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen Predicted XI
Borussia Dortmund's probable XI: Gregor Kobel; Waldemar Anton, Nico Schlotterbeck, Joane Gadou; Daniel Svensson, Felix Nmecha, Joey Veerman, Maximilian Beier; Ethan Nwaneri, Fabio Silva; Serhou Guirassy.
Werder Bremen's probable XI: Karl Hein; Arthur, Marco Friedl, Amos Pieper, Olivier Deman; Youri Regeer, Ludovit Reis; Eren Dinkci, Chuki, Marco Grull; Niclas Fullkrug.
Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen Prediction
Dortmund are the favorites, but given their injury concerns and workload on first-team players, it won't be as straight-forward as many predict. The BVB could leave it late again, with Guirassy or some other forward popping up with the winner in the dying embers.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Werder Bremen
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