Werder Bremen’s impressive 4-1 home win against Union Berlin last December could serve as a blueprint on Friday evening at the Weserstadion, but the omens have changed. With six defenders injured, coach Horst Steffen will have to improvise, while the visitors from Berlin welcome back key players Christopher Trimmel and András Schäfer. Both teams are close together in the middle of the table, Bremen in 12th place with eight points and Union in ninth with ten, and both desperately need points to move up. The direct duels promise excitement: in the last five encounters, there have been two wins per team and one draw, with four of these games containing at least three goals. Victor Boniface’s possible comeback makes the game particularly explosive. Although he is not yet a candidate for the starting eleven after his individual training program, including nutritional counseling, he could be an option again for the first time.
- Venue: Weserstadion, Bremen
- Date and time: October 24, 2025, 8:30 p.m.
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 8)
The betting markets see Bremen as slight favorites at around 2.1, but the massive personnel problems in defense with Wöber, Stark, Agu, Schmidt, Weiser, and Deman all out opens up the game. Union has already proven its quality away from home and could take advantage of this defensive weakness, especially since the Berliners have scored at least once in four of their last five games. The combination of Bremen’s injury-related instability, with captain Friedl recently having to help out on the left side of defense, and the offensive strength of both teams clearly favors Both Teams to Score: Yes. With 80 percent of Bremen’s last five games going over 2.5 goals and Union averaging 1.5 goals in wins, Over 2.5 Goals also seems likely. Despite the absences, a home win for Werder is a speculative value bet, as the team is unbeaten in nine games against lower-ranked teams and Union has yet to win two games in a row this season. The odds for a draw at around 3.6 or a Union win at 3.3 suggest value in a home win, provided Werder can compensate.
Werder form & record check
Werder has been inconsistent, with two wins, one draw, and two losses in its last five league games. In 12th place with eight points, the team is level on points with Hamburger SV and just one point ahead of FC Augsburg. The 2-2 draw in Heidenheim four days ago revealed existing weaknesses: despite taking the lead twice through Grüll and Stage, Bremen let their opponents back into the game, with coach Steffen particularly criticizing the defensive organization and lack of communication in the closing stages. Föhrenbach’s equalizer exposed problems in defense after Sugawara let his opponent run through at the far post. Offensively, the team has scored plenty of goals, with four of the last five games ending with more than 2.5 goals, ranging from a 4-0 win in Munich to a 4-0 win in Gladbach and a narrow 1-0 win against St. Pauli. Stark has returned to training after a 52-day break, but it is still too early for him to play. Pieper impressed in his first appearance of the season in Heidenheim and is likely to have earned himself further opportunities. Steffen is urging patience with new signing Boniface: he is completing additional training sessions in athletics and nutritional counseling, and a place in the starting lineup remains unlikely for the time being.
Coach Horst Steffen is expected to field his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, but continues to cope with significant absences in defense. With Weiser, Wöber, Stark, Deman, Agu, and Schmidt, six defenders are currently unavailable. Stark has returned to team training, but it is still too early for him to play in Friday’s game. Captain Friedl could be available again after his indoor training and has a chance of a place in the starting lineup. Lynen and Stage are likely to organize the defensive midfield. In attack, Schmid, Puertas, and Grüll are expected to provide creative impetus behind striker Topp. Victor Boniface is likely to start on the bench again. His rehabilitation program is progressing, but according to Steffen, he is not expected to start. Amos Pieper has recommended himself for further appearances with his strong performance in Heidenheim and could start alongside Coulibaly in central defense.
1. FC Union Berlin Form & Record Check
Union Berlin are in 9th place with ten points, level on points with Hoffenheim, but have shown a lack of consistency with two wins, one draw, and two defeats from their last five games. An away win would mean two wins in a row for the first time this season. The 3-1 win against Gladbach was convincing, even if the goals were scored by the unusual Doekhi. Previously, little went right in the 2-0 defeat in Leverkusen, and the goalless draw against HSV reflected problems in the final third. It remains striking that Union have conceded goals before half-time in four of their last five games, which is a cause for concern for coach Baumgart. Statistically, Union leads the league with 101 fouls, while their tackle success rate is just under 50 percent of the league average. Baumgart is calling for more clarity up front and less possession for possession’s sake. In terms of personnel, Schäfer returns after a break and captain Trimmel is back, while Markgraf is out with a fatigue fracture and Skov with calf problems.
Coach Steffen Baumgart is planning a 3-4-2-1 formation with Doekhi, Querfeld, and Leite in the back three, Trimmel and Köhn occupying the wide positions. Captain Trimmel is fit again after a break and brings experience, while Khedira and Kemlein are set to start in central midfield. Markgraf and Skov are still missing from training, Schäfer has completed a full week of training and is an option on the bench. Ilic is expected to play as the central striker, with Jeong and Skarke providing creativity behind him. Tactically, Baumgart is demanding more clarity in attack rather than pure possession. Union leads the league with 101 fouls, but wins only 49.6 percent of its tackles.
Werder – 1. FC Union Berlin Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The record of the last five encounters shows perfect balance: two wins each for Werder and Union, plus one draw. In December, Werder triumphed 4-1 at the Weserstadion, while in May the game in Berlin ended 2-2. A clear pattern emerges in the course of the game: the first halves were mostly quiet, with the decisions mostly being made after the break, which points to tactical caution and late openness on the part of both coaches. Werder scored in four of the five games, but also conceded goals in four games. Union has similar scoring and conceding statistics, but has been successful away from home on several occasions with victories in 2023 and 2024. The current match is likely to be another close affair with the outcome possibly being decided in the second half, with both defenses’ vulnerability to goals suggesting a high-scoring game.
