Preview: Werder Bremen vs RB Leipzig - prediction, team news, lineups

Fighting for their Champions League hopes, RB Leipzig will travel to take on Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen at Weserstadion on Saturday.

Die Roten Bullen are looking to build on their vital win last time out, while Die Werderaner could continue their resurgence this weekend.

Match preview

Daniel Thioune's Werder tenure kicked off with three consecutive defeats in February - 1-0 against Freiburg, 3-0 against Bayern Munich and 2-1 against St Pauli - but the manager has revitalised the club, who surprisingly come into this clash in strong form.

The 51-year-old took charge of Die Werderaner after Horst Steffen was dismissed in the wake of a 1-1 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach on January 31, which left the Green-Whites just one point above the relegation zone.

However, a 2-0 triumph over Heidenheim at the end of February marked a turning point for Thioune's side, who have won three of their last four outings ahead of this weekend, including a 1-0 win against Wolfsburg most recently.

That latest triumph over Die Wolfe has Werder 14th in the Bundesliga, where their tally of 28 points puts the club four clear of 16th-placed St Pauli in the relegation playoff spot.

Fans of the Green-Whites will also be delighted to have seen their team keep their second clean sheet in four games, but the Weserstadion faithful are likely to remain cautious on Saturday given that the hosts have lost two of their last three - and won just one of their last eight - home matches.

Meanwhile, Ole Werner's Leipzig are on course to qualify for the Champions League as things stand, but their spot in the top four is far from secure, and the club will be desperate to gain control after missing out on Europe in 2024-25.

Between late January and the start of March, Die Roten Bullen endured a difficult run of six games that saw them win just once (2-1 against FC Koln on March 8), but they have since bounced back by taking nine points from a possible 12 last month.

Most recently, Werner's men thrashed top-four rivals Hoffenheim 5-0, a commanding result that is sure to give them a psychological edge over Die Kraichgauer during the run in.

That victory lifted Leipzig up to fourth in the table, though they are level on 50 points with fifth-placed Hoffenheim and it remains to be seen whether they can hold on through the final seven games of the season.

Looking to consolidate their Champions League spot, the visitors will need to overcome their lacklustre travelling record, which features two losses from their three away contests preceding this weekend, as well as only three wins on the road since a 4-1 DfB-Pokal win over Cottbus on October 28.

Werder Bremen Bundesliga form:

RB Leipzig Bundesliga form:

Team News

Werder are lighter than ideal in defence without centre-backs Julian Malatini and Maximilian Wober, who are dealing with respective knee and thigh injuries. Adding to the problem, fellow centre-halves Amos Pieper and Niklas Stark are doubts due to knee and calf issues of their own, and right wing-back Mitchell Weiser (knee) is sidelined.

In their absence, Karim Coulibaly and Marco Friedl should start at the heart of Thioune's back four, flanked by full-backs Yukinari Sugawara and Olivier Deman. Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein - who was on loan with the club - has returned to London after undergoing surgery on a hand injury, though first-choice Mio Backhaus should be ready to start regardless.

Looking to the opposite end of the pitch, strikers Keke Topp and Victor Okoh Boniface are set to miss the rest of the season with knee injuries, while fellow centre-forward Jovan Milosevic is a doubt due to a back issue.

With that in mind, Justin Njinmah is likely to start up front, supported by Marco Grull, Jens Stage and Romano Schmid.

As for Leipzig, they will welcome shot-stopper Peter Gulacsi back into the XI after he spent five games recovering from a knee issue, but they have lost third-choice Leopold Zingerle to a wrist injury.

Just in front of Gulacsi, centre-backs Willi Orban and Castello Lukeba will form the core of a four-man defence alongside Ridle Baku and David Raum, given that right-back Kosta Nedeljkovic has a back injury and left-back Max Finkgrafe is a doubt after being withdrawn from international duty.

Elsewhere, versatile forward Brajan Gruda (groin), 18-year-old winger Ayodele Thomas (muscle), and fellow teenager Viggo Gebel (knee) are all sidelined, so expect to see a Leipzig frontline of Yan Diomande, Romulo and Antonio Nusa on Saturday.

Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:

Backhaus; Sugawara, Friedl, Coulibaly, Deman; Lynen, Puertas; Grull, Stage, Schmid; Njinmah

RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:

Gulacsi; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Schlager, Seiwald, Baumgartner; Diomande, Romulo, Nusa

We say: Werder Bremen 1-2 RB Leipzig

Werder have improved significantly under Thioune in recent weeks, but their dire home record suggests that they could struggle against their Champions League-chasing opponents on Saturday.

Leipzig's impressive 5-0 demolition of Hoffenheim prior to the international break will give them a major boost as they fight for their spot in the top four, and though they have proven lacklustre on the road, they could prove too much for Werder to handle this weekend.

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