Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 German Bundesliga
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THE FACTS
When is Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich on and what time does it start? Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich will take place on Friday 18th August, 2023 – 19:30 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What channel is Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich on in the UK? Sky Sports have the rights to German Bundesliga matches in the UK so it is worth checking their schedule for Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich
Where can I stream Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich in the UK? If televised on Sky Sports, Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich can be streamed live on the Sky Go app
THE LOWDOWN
WERDER BREMEN
After gaining promotion back to the Bundesliga in 2021-22, the primary goal for Werder Bremen last season was to stay in the division. On that front, it was mission accomplished as Werder finished three points above the bottom three despite a poor end to the campaign form-wise. However, they’ve put themselves in a good position to now kick on in 2023-24 with their squad not largely disrupted and stronger with a year’s worth of Bundesliga experience behind them as a unit.
Key for Werder and head coach Ole Werner will be cutting the number of goals conceded, which really hurt them last season. Only three clubs shipped more goals in the Bundesliga than Werder’s 64 in 2022-23 and two of those sides were relegated. If they are to improve in this department, then much depends of the likes of captain Marco Friedl and goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka, not to mention defender Niklas Stark.
BAYERN MUNICH
Bayern Munich are coming off the back of what was the closest Bundesliga title race in many years, which saw them go through much turbulence. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann was sacked in March and replaced by Thomas Tuchel, who hardly inspired a dramatic upturn in results, winning six of his nine league games. However, the Rekordmeister did what champions do and found a way to come out on top, beating Koln on the final day combined with Borussia Dortmund being held by Mainz. That was enough to see Bayern lift an 11th successive meisterschale.
Unsurprisingly, the Bayern hierarchy have taken major steps to ensure a significantly less competitive title race in 2023-24, sacking CEO Oliver Khan and Sporting Director Hasan Salihamidzic just hours after they were crowned German champions. Tuchel has been retained and significantly backed in the summer transfer window, the most notable incoming being that of Tottenham striker Harry Kane for a reported fee of €100m plus add ons. The England captain and all-time record goal scorer for both his country and former club is also the second highest-scoring forward in Premier League history. To sign him represents a huge coup for both Bayern Munich and the Bundesliga, with the 30-year-old filling the massive void left by Robert Lewandowski which Bayern struggled so badly with last season.
THE TEAM NEWS
WERDER BREMEN
Big-name summer signing Naby Keita has been blighted by injuries since leaving the Bundesliga back in 2018 to join Liverpool from RB Leipzig. Unfortunately for Werder, their new midfielder suffered another injury setback in pre-season and is set to miss the opening night. He will be joined on the sidelines by full-back Felix Agu, who has a knee injury.
Werder are expected to line-up with three centre-backs, allowing them to pack the midfield but also include two forwards, both of whom are capable of doing Bayern serious harm. Niclas Fullkrug scored 16 Bundesliga goals last season and alongside strike-partner Marvin Ducksch will be a handful for the visitors to contain.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Pavlenka; Pieper, Stark, Friedl; Weiser, Lynen, Gross, Stage, Jung; Fullkrug, Ducksch
UNAVAILABLE: Agu (Injured), Keita (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
BAYERN MUNICH
After coming off the bench in Bayern’s 0-3 DFL-Supercup defeat last weekend against RB Leipzig, Kane is expectedto make his first start for the Bavarians in their first match of the new Bundesliga season. He’ll line up as the sole striker in what should be a 4-2-3-1 formation with three attacking midfielders behind him. With four players fighting for three spots, Kingsley Coman could be the one to miss out although not starting in last Saturday’s loss could work in his favour. Konrad Laimer should also keep his place, with Tuchel seemingly preferring him over Leon Goretzka.
However, changes are expected to be made in defence with speculation mounting over Benjamin Pavard’s future at Bayern. Noussair Mazraoui may well play instead of him on the right-hand-side, whilst new signing from Napoli, Kim Min-jae could make his first competitive start for the club at centre-back, most likely replacing Dayot Upamecano.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Ulreich; Mazraoui, Kim, De Ligt, Davies; Kimmich, Laimer; Sane, Musiala, Gnabry; Kane
UNAVAILABLE: Neuer (Injured), Guerreiro (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
THE PREDICTION
Make no mistake, Werder Bremen boast the attacking capability to cause Bayern Munich serious problems here defensively, with Fullkrug a proven goalscorer at Bundesliga level and a worthy foil in Ducksch. They have home advantage in their favour and face a team coming off the back of an eye-opening defeat. However, Bayern created plenty of openings in that DFL-Supercup game but their lack of composure cost them. With Kane in the team from the start, you’d expect Bayern to take a number of those chances, so an improved performance is expected offensively from Tuchel’s side. The sheer presence of Kane not only as a finisher, but as a focal point up top gives Bayern a point of difference missing since the days of Lewandowski and that may well prove the difference here, so back an away victory.
TIP: BAYERN MUNICH TO WIN
