Werder Bremen - Bayer 04 Leverkusen
When: 15:30
Where: Germany. Bundesliga
Werder Bremen
Werder Bremen is in crisis, sitting in 17th place without points and a catastrophic goal difference of 1:4. Especially the defense is extremely vulnerable; with many key players injured, the backline suffers greatly. In the last match, a porous defense was evident, repeatedly breached. Tactically, Werder tried a 4-3-3, but it seemed chaotic and ineffective. The team barely managed to control the ball or initiate organized attacks and was mostly dangerous only through impulsive individual actions. The home advantage helps little when the defense is so unstable.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Bayer 04 ranks 12th also with 0 points but showed a far more structured and dominant performance despite a loss in their first match. The team relies on a 4-2-3-1 with quick transitions and high pressing. The offense has great potential, although chance conversion needs improvement. The defense appeared solid and better organized than Werder’s. Despite some absences in key positions, Bayer 04 can better compensate with greater squad depth than their opponent. The visitors possess the tactical discipline and striking power to break through Werder’s porous defense.
Injuries
Werder Bremen suffers from numerous injury-related absences, especially in defense: Amos Pieper (hip injury), Jens Stage (foot injury), Maximilian Wöber (thigh), Marco Friedl (medial ligament), Mitchell Weiser (ACL tear), Olivier Deman (ankle fracture), and Julián Malatini (ligament injury). These absences severely weaken the defense. Bayer 04 is also missing some players, including Jonas Hofmann (muscle injury) and Exequiel Palacios (muscle injury), but thanks to a broader squad these absences can be better compensated than Bremen’s.
Head-to-Head
The recent duels between the two clubs have shown Bayer 04 as the dominant team. Except for a surprising away win by Werder in March 2025, Leverkusen mostly secured clear victories, sometimes with high-scoring results (e.g., 5-0 or 3-0). The encounters were often high-scoring, indicating an offensive approach and defensive vulnerability on Werder’s side. Bayer has repeatedly demonstrated determination in these direct matches, posing major problems for the opponent’s defense.
Match Forecast
Given the current form, Werder Bremen’s catastrophic defensive problems and injury issues, along with Bayer 04’s better squad quality and tactical concept, a win for the guests is very likely. Additionally, previous encounters have featured a high number of goals. Werder’s defensive weaknesses and Leverkusen’s offensive quality suggest a game with over 2.5 goals is expected. The odds of 1.53 for over 2.5 goals therefore appear very solid and recommendable.
My Tip: Over 2.5 Goals (1.53)
Tip